If your threads are jamming up in your 201, check your bobbins for burrs. Old stretched out metal bobbins that were burred and didn't work in the bobbin winder anymore were making the thing jam up like crazy. Once I put a new bobbin in there, problem fixed.
As for free-motion, when you put that stitch length indicator to the nutral line like the 201 manual says, lower the feed dogs and you don't even have to put any foot on at all, and just giver, the machine free motioned like a dream. This was the Tan 201k I just sold.
For the record, I use my 15-88 treadle for free motion work and general sewing, its slower than electric, but I find the speed perfect for detailed work that requires a lot of control.