Thank you one and all! I loosened the belt a little but couldn't go too far without it being disengaged. Thank you especially JoAnn for saying that yours also runs a little stiff and purrs like a very loud cat, not a little kitten! The stitches my machine is forming are absolutely beautiful, so I think maybe I may have everything where it should be (knock on wood!). I also found a Featherweighters group that meets once a month and I intend to go to their next meeting. I also intend to start some piecing right away to see how well that goes!
I have been very, very lucky, and I am extremely grateful to have this beautiful machine and to have such wonderful, supportive friends!
Margaret F