^^^I agree. Knee lifter and needle down. It takes a little getting used to to use the knee lifter, but once you do, you'll have a hard time without it. When I sit at one of my machines without the lifter, I'm still tilting my knee to use it! I must be a great creature of habit, though, because every once in a while I still go to depressed the clutch in my car and I haven't had a stick for many years - lol.