Being an experienced hand quilter, I'm not sure I agree with starting big. I made a quilt that called for pearl cotton and large stitches. It was very uncomfortable for me and took me much longer than I thought to finish. Of course, I'm comfortable with an 11 between and quilting thread. I guess my point is, if she gets comfortable with the large needle and stitch, it could be difficult for her to switch. How about loading a hoop with muslim and batting and let her try both methods before starting the quilt. Either way, you are the luckiest mother on earth to have someone so young to pass your skills along to.