I grew up sewing on an old Singer with a knee pedal to operate the motor so using the knee lift on my Janome wasn't too difficult to adapt to. Like someone said earlier it is kind of like driving a stick shift. My real problem is getting a pillow that is just the right height so I can use the knee lift and not get me jammed under the sewing table (which is an old dining room table we found at a thrift store). I have to keep re-adjusting the pillow under me (the chair is up as high as it will go and I am a pretty short person) so I can use the knee lift with consistent pressure.