Where I live, any FW under $300 is a great price! I have 2 and paid $275 and $220. With the bobbin thread, it comes over the top to the left - if you hold the bobbin in front of you, it makes the letter P with the thread hanging down to make the lower part of the P. Does that make sense? So, everything goes to the left, toward the extension bed - the flat side of the needle, thread from right to left, bobbin thread over top of bobbin to the left.