Back in the 90's we lived in northern Illinois, and my husband and I both taught a group of homeschoolers from our church one day a week. He taught the boys aviation, cartooning, then anything they wanted to learn. I taught the girls and their mothers and grandmothers quilting. All by hand. I did not teach any of them machine work. My youngest wanted to quilt when she was a little past 4, and had a small quilt finished when she was 4-1/2. Her next oldest sister asked to start quilting for her 6th birthday. Incidentally, the 4 year old is graduating from college in May. Just to say young children can learn to quilt - one year they did piecing, the next year, applique, and then we reversed it each year.