I remember we sewed straght and curved lines on paper with no thread in the machine. We made a potholder and apron to use when we learned to cook. Then we went to a skirt and finally a blouse. Placemats are fun and practical. She could learn straight sewing but still use some of the fancy stitches teens seem to love to do. I would not start with mending lol. I would want her to do some fun(still practical) things first to get her *hooked*...just a thought :)