I got all my grandtrs " lacing cards" to start off. they usually have a pic outlines and holes to put the lacing thru. The needle is plastic so no blood donations. when they have mastered this I move up to plastic canvas that I have drawn outlines of things on. Still with the large plastic needle. Then we move up to " the big girl" stuff... I have squares that I have serged the edges and again I draw ( with a laundry marker) an outline, put in some eyelets. For an occasional surprise, I dont outline a pic and just put the eyelets in... They come up with their own pics. Then we move up to plastic cavnas kits... usually by this time they have it down.. They love the printed cross stitch patterns! The know they are REALLY sewing then....