Thanks for your reply! You are right most needle threaders are very annoying (although my Brother machines have great ones). It is not important. Your advice about lining up the foot with something on the fabric and/or marking is helpful. I was also wondering how you stay even when you are doing parallel lines of straight quilting. On my other machine I attach the guide and line the guide up with the previous straight line of stitching. I guess I could use the edge of the foot itself as the guide. The machine is great I'm glad I went for it.