THANK YOU Cari! That is so helpful! I will explore those links. You guys are making it so simple for me-- I'm so delighted to have found such a supportive place to learn more.
After I took the photos the other night, I took the foot off completely and hand-cranked the machine to identify exactly what was wrong. I realized at that point it was set for zig zag stitches, so I checked the movement of all the stitch possibilities (which was exciting. My other machine just straight stitches; oh the possibilities!). It seemed to function well, and the needle never hit the plate, so it appeared to be in balance. I will check out the sew-classic site and figure out whether it's high or low shank. Hooray! Can't wait to get it in working order-- it's an early Christmas present for my mom, and she's going to flip!