If I use the knee lift, I tend to lean my knee on it and run all my tension. Good Luck

I grew up sewing on an old Singer with a knee pedal to operate the motor so using the knee lift on my Janome wasn't too difficult to adapt to. Like someone said earlier it is kind of like driving a stick shift. My real problem is getting a pillow that is just the right height so I can use the knee lift and not get me jammed under the sewing table (which is an old dining room table we found at a thrift store). I have to keep re-adjusting the pillow under me (the chair is up as high as it will go and I am a pretty short person) so I can use the knee lift with consistent pressure.

The knee life if the best thing since sliced bread!! I pedal with my left foot--it feels more comfortable after you do it a while. Even when I sew on a machine without the knee lift (under protest) I still use my left foot on the pedal.

I don't have one :( so I'm starting and stopping and turning!!!

I use my knee lift, but I have a start/stop button on the front of the machine....I'm addicted to both!

I don't use my knee lift. I have varicose veins and any pressure hurts. And, I have to move my knee over too far to the right.

Left foot right knee. You do adjust so it's not so ackward. I make a habit now to intentionally left foot sew.

LOVE my knee lift and couldn't get along without it...especially for machine applique and machine quilting. I use my right leg and right foot for knee lift/petal.

I use my left foot for the pedal and the right for the lift. After some time it feels very natural to me and I love the option of the knee lift. I also remove my left shoe when I sew and that gives me more flexibility. Good luck.

I used to use the right for both the foot & knee. When I hurt my foot recently, I learned to use my left foot for the foot pedal. Now I can use either foot but just need a little more concentration for left foot.

I intentionally moved my foot pedal to the left last year. After a while it was really natural and simplified the presser foot knee lift which I "knee" with my right. My husband put some of that sticky stuff you can apply to the bottom of scatter rugs to keep them in place on the bottom of my Bernina foot pedal and it keeps the foot pedal in one place. Now I can sew without any glitches other than the ones that require seam rippers. I have three of them right by the machine!

I used to drive a stick shift, as in from the time I started driving until I was 40. Plus I spent a year in England, bought a stick shift over there (no, not thinking) so I had to do everything backwards: drive from the left hand side of the car, shift with my right hand -- backwards -- gears are exactly backwards. Brake, clutch and gas are backwards. Even turn signals and windshield wipers are on the opposite side. The Brits never understood that when my windshield wipers started wiping, I was about to turn or change lanes! After a year of that, I swear I can do anything with either arm or leg. Bring it on!!!

If you want to do it, all you need is a little practice.

Cheers!

I use my right knee for the knee lift lever and my left foot for the pedal. Felt awkward at first, but now I am used to it.

I have a Janome 6600 also. I cut a piece of styrofoam "pool noodle" to fit over the end of my knee lever. That brings it a little farther to the left and therefore easier to reach with my knee.

At the beginning, I took my foot off of my foot pedal until I got the hang of things and now I love it it and can't imagine not having it. I went to a class and forgot my knee lift and I was lost.

I got one but have never even thought about it much less used it. So I guess it's just one of those things I don't need.

The Bernina 820 automatically raises the foot just enough to pivot every time you stop. It is a very nice feature and I really like it.

I have been using my left foot for sewing for the past 8 years. The teacher we had at the time told us about it then Alex Anderson had a chiropractor on Simply Quilts. She said the same thing, it's good for your back. I know when I first starting doing it, it felt strange but after a couple of weeks my back did feel better. It is just second nature to me now and I know I can sit longer than I could when I sewed with my right foot.

I have had a knee lift with both my old Bernina and my current Janome and only tried it a time or 5 as it really bothered me. On the other hand, my Janome has hand controls (start/stop etc. buttons). After a short trial period, I found I loved it. It is hugely easier on my bum knees. Not every invention helps each of us. Does your dealer have a suggestion? Actually my Bernina dealer was not particularly helpful, whereas my Janome dealer will trouble shoot forme over the phone. Not all dealers (of any brand) are equally helpful.

I love the knee lift and have just started using my left foot with the foot pedal. It's a little awkward but I'm liking it. I think I will get used to the left foot thing without too much trouble.

I have found that the knee lift on my Brother machine is easier than the one on my Bernina. It feels like it's closer? Not sure and did ask my dealer. I didn't follow up with it but I think I should to make it better for stitching with my Bernina machine.

I have an older Bernina and was frustrated with the knee lift until I prevented everything from scootching around while I sewed. I put the rubberized mesh shelf liner on the bottom of my foot pedal and the bottom of my machine. I positioned my machine a fraction closer to the front edge of the table so the knee lift wouldn't fall out. Table height is important, too so you don't have to lift your leg to press the knee lift bar. Then it's just a matter of training your brain and muscles to make the correct motion. I don't like to sew without it now, for either garment sewing or quilting.

I use the left foot and the right knee. It doesn't take long to make it seem right. I use my left foot even on some of my machines that do not have knee lifts.
Judy Fry

I almost always sew with my left foot on the pedal. So use right knee on lift.

I love the knee lift. I use right foot and right knee. I have another machine, and it is a pain to stop and manually
lift the presser foot.

When I took a class on machine applique, I was using the right leg for everything. The instructor said that I should learn to use the left foot on the pedal and it was easier than I thought it would be. Mainly, because when doing machine applique, you are sewing a lot slower and it just makes things easier for me. On the first machine that I ever sewed on, ( an industrial one ) the " gas pedal " was where we now have the knee lift and even sewing with a knee lift was something that required a lot of practice and re-programming of the mind.

Same as dunster here - have been using the left foot for the foot pedal for years, now it feels wrong any other way!

I use right for both. Took getting used to but I can hardly sew without the knee lift. I have Bernina 200. The knee lift gets loose from vibration but I just push it back in.

As I always use my left foot for sewing I don't have any conflict. No, I'm not left handed. This was suggested by a teacher and also a chiropractor on Simply Quilts. Takes a lot of pressure off the back. Try it, feels strange at first but soon becomes second nature.

I have a knee lift but don't use it - think I'll start using it.