I was sewing about that age. I had a little old hand crank Singer child's machine that had belonged to my father's bachelor uncle. He used to mend his clothes on it. I made blankets and saddles for my plastic horses.
I doing hand embroider about 10 and using the machine soon after. I can't really remember, but I know I had already made a couple garments when I took sewing in 8th grade home ec.