I am 74 and learned at the age of 4. I was an only child and my mom made all my clothes, staying up late nights to do doll clothes for Christmas, etc. I was nosy, and had to help, so she set me up with her Singer Featherweight (I still have it) and lined paper, no thread. As soon as I mastered that she had me draw shapes, hearts, circles, etc. I made my own clothes at 11, jr high I helped teach the other home ec classmates and was putting in zippers, using the buttonhole attachment and doing set in sleeves. By high school I made all my own formals and lots of summer clothes. I won lots of prizes in home ec. Teach them young! My first two DGDs love to sew, 12 and 10, and the 8 year old made her first quilt all by herself.