I have enjoyed reading this post. I work with the girls in my neighborhood on fair projects and sewing. One tip that I have is to teach hand sewing starting with plastic canvas, yarn, and a blunt needle. It seems natural to us, but they need practice in applying the principle of "what goes up, goes down before it goes up again" and keeping the yarn/thread from getting hung up or tangling.
I have ordered a "finger guard" for the Featherweight, since machine sewing for the 2 girls who are almost 8 is next on their list. The 10 year old is doing fine. She just finished a 9 patch pillow to give her mother for Christmas, and she is proud of the way it turned out.
We will be doing tissue covers for their teacher gifts, but I may be turning the handwheel on the machine for the 7 year olds at first. With such short seams, I don't think my arm will get too tired. They will have a project that can be finished quickly.
I think I mentioned before on the board that we are planning a "Little House on the Prairie" quilt during school vacation. They need practice in cutting, and we will start by cutting apart old plaid cotton shirts. I found a blue chambray curtain at a garage sale that looks like the kind of fabric my dad's shirts were made of, so we will alternate that with the plaids. The whole thing will be a lesson in recycling and teamwork (there are 3 girls). I plan to make an applique out of a Holly Hobbie panel to be put on top of the boring plaids, but they don't know that yet.