GV09, I ask my dh and he said it lifted up the needle & presser foot so his hands were free.
Yes, dh machine is called Lily.
Thanks for all your kind words everyone; I love the phrase "much loved room". We don't always sew together, he does his thing, while I do mine. Or he will do other things during the summer and sew with me, if he feels like it, in the winter months. He has his bedroom where he can make all the noise he wants too, and I have mine that is filled with books and its a "QUIET Zone".
It is called a "peace retirement" time in our lives.