I took me a long time to figure out that under my magnetically attached spool holder/shuttle junk had built up allowing it to jump off the magnet, but only at high rpm, breaking the needle. BTW, when I went to school, you had to take Home Econ to graduate, and I learned to use sewing machines, utilizing sewing patterns and common tools like tracing paper, with a final project, as well as demonstrate many hand stitches. I wished my children would have had this opportunity.
Buy a cheap second hand (old!) sewing machine and you can give your kids that opportunity at home.
I've been on a project for a couple of months where I sort of re-play the whole industrial revolution and the electronics age one device at the time. The local goodwill store has a good customer in me.
