our guild teaches 18 8th graders every year. They are so much fun. they have to do a lottery for the kids to take the class and when they get picked you know they want to be there. We do the rail fence pattern 4 blocks across by 6 down with borders it about 54x68 a good size...

I worked with "homeschoolers" and we made raggedy throws. They were 9-12 yrs. and did a great job.

The last time my grandaughter was here, she was helping me tie a quilt. She doesn't live close, and I wish I could teach her more.

My granddaughter(6 1/2) loves to help me sew. At first she was small enough to sit in my lap, now I have to let her sit down and lean in. I love it.

the boys love the sewing machine LOL we had alot of trouble with speeding also....peddle to the meddle LOL

I just had to reply to this post. Just last month, I started teaching my neighbor's daughter, she's 8, to sew. It was so much fun!! I started her off with 2 Irish chain blocks that I had left over from a previous quilt. She made a tote bag. Here are a couple of pictures, she was so proud of herself

CJC, aren't you sweet for teaching your little neighbor. Her tote bag turned out great. I think you might have a new best friend. You'll have to tell her you posted her picture so all of us could see how well she sews. :-D

I've taught one daughter and two grandaughters. One 9 yr old DGD took the Lewis and Clark BOM class that I taught at Hancock's. She did all the stitching when she came over to my house. I helped her to put it together as a quillow earlier this year. My youngest DD and her friend did the class {4-5 yrs ago} also, but have yet to sew their blocks together. My DD did take some of her stash home with her the last time she came. She always teased me about my stash, but during the time she worked at Hancock's her stash was bigger than mine. She has made purses, diaper bags, and now plans on making sundresses etc for her 20 month old. Both DGD go with me to my Quilt group and work on projects mostly when school is out. They are 14 and 9 now, but started when they were 9 and 4. I'm already working on both youngest DGD that are 20mo and 21mo. I keep the 21mo during the week while Mom and Dad work. She likes to sit on my lap watching all the pictures on the board, and playing in my sewing room. She has her own shelf, although she wants to help me sew.

I took her to my LQS last Saturday..OMG.. It was too cute. She is the oldest of 4 ..the other 2 girls are 6 and 3 and she has a 11 month old baby brother. I take turns taking the 3 girls to do something special. It's so much fun.

We don't have any children of our own, so we are doubly blessed that we have those in our lives.

Years ago we had elderly (HA, they were in their 50's LOL)neighbors. They were both career people, no children. I was 11 at the time and I dearly loved this couple as if they were my grandparents. Anyway, I would go visit them every evening when they got home from work (they assured me I wasn't a pest) to talk with them. They liked having a martini before dinner, so in quick order I learned how to make the perfect martini :!: When they were ready to make dinner I would go home just to come back when it was time to do dishes. I helped them every night, and yet my mother could never get me to help at home. It just seemed like more fun at their house.
Anyway, I guess I was their "adopted daughter".

I think teaching your neighbor how to sew is a much more practical idea :-D :-D :-D