Oh hey, I got my #sewing machine working yesterday! I don't know what was going on the last couple of times I tried to use it. I thought I had checked and double-checked everything - the threading, the bobbin, the tension settings, etc. - but I couldn't stitch a seam without massive bunching and tangling of thread. I had psyched myself out about ever using it again and I hadn't touched it in years.
Yesterday I took it over to a friend's house and tried one more time. She was wanting to learn how to use a used machine she just bought, so we sat together at her table reading our manuals and figuring things out. Taking my time, double and triple checking everything, I took my first hesitant stitches and everything went smoothly! I ran a few test seams and it appears that all is well. Now I can look for a simple project to take on and continue my learning.