I do not have a working treadle...but I do remember helping my grandmother when she used the treadle to stitch rags together for rag rugs...she would just treadle away...she had me try and treadle. I was 5-6 at the time. No go....I did the same as you...the handwheel would go toward me and then away from me....there is definitely a rhythm you need to master....keep at it...I like the idea of not threading the machine...but just practicing the treadle motion and watching the direction the handwheel is going and getting that rhythm down. Good Luck!