Okay, I'll answer first.
I used to watch my grandmother as she happily sewed on her old black Singer. As a very little girl, who loved dolls, Grandma made my doll clothes and gave me scraps to cut up for "dresses" (without sewing).
The first time I used a needle and thread was to make a "nut cup doll hat". We took a tiny, paper cup (used for mints at her Canasta parties), used a beautiful maroon taffeta, covered it with a ruffled brim and embellished it with a feather. I sewed with a thimble and "real" needle. It was the first of many doll hats - even Barbie wore them!
55 years later I still sew, quilt and dream of Grandmother and the "nut cup doll hat".