Objective: Learn the essential sewing vocabulary and MC6650-specific terms you'll use in every later lesson, so instructions make immediate sense.
Before you sew sellable items, you need a shared language. On the MC6650, the presser foot holds fabric down while you stitch; you raise and lower it with the lever at the back right. The feed dogs are the small metal teeth beneath the needle plate that grip and advance the fabric — you never push or pull fabric yourself, you guide it. Stitch length controls how far the feed dogs move per stitch (measured in mm, typically 2.4 for regular seams); stitch width matters for zigzag and decorative stitches. The MC6650 has an automatic thread cutter and a start/stop button, so you can sew without the foot pedal. Seam allowance is the distance between the fabric edge and your stitch line — most home-business patterns use 1/4 inch (6mm) or 5/8 inch (16mm). Use the guide lines etched on the needle plate to keep this consistent. A backstitch (reverse button) locks stitches at the start and end so seams don't unravel. Right side means the finished, outward-facing surface of fabric; wrong side faces in. To press means to lift and set the iron down (not drag) to flatten seams. Knowing these terms lets you follow any pattern and any setting instruction in the units ahead.
Example: A tote bag pattern says: 'With right sides together, sew side seams at 1/2 inch, backstitching at both ends.' Translated: place the two fabric pieces so their finished surfaces face each other, lower the presser foot, line the fabric edge up with the 1/2-inch guide on the needle plate, tap the reverse button for a few stitches to lock, sew the seam while letting the feed dogs pull the fabric, then backstitch again at the end before using the auto thread cutter.
Try it: Find and physically touch these five parts on your MC6650: presser foot lever, feed dogs, stitch length dial/screen, reverse (backstitch) button, and the seam allowance guide lines on the needle plate. Then write one sentence for each using its correct name, describing what it does in your own words.