Use the "P" Foot, clear plastic, it does not go all the way to the needleplate.
You should be able to manouver the Hoop under the foot without too much trouble if you come at it like scooping under the foot with the edge of the hoop. Also try manually raising the presser foot the extra little bit the lever will give you when you raise it..........if you raise and let go at the top position, it will still drop a couple of mm, so use that extra slack.
Of course it is a little clumsy, but you could also attach the P foot after the hoop is in place, but it really ought not be that difficult. There is a very remote chance that the Needle Bar Height has dropped, but it is not in the scope of this forum to describe that process without you having a fairly thorough understanding of the mechanics of the machine as other elements of timing and relative adjustments come into play.
It is an expensive investment that you have made and deserves good care by trained people if it does come to such adjustments.
As to needle threading, this model has a needle threader mechanism that ought to obviate the difficulty of manual threading, if it needs adjustment, then it is not too dificult to describe, you can contact me through the Contact Us page of
www.bargainbox.com.au
