I first learned to sew in Home Ec. in Jr. High, but took another class at a department store when I was in high school.
Mom had an old Domestic sewing machine that I used. My sister had learned to sew already, but I never got any pointers from her because she was grown and married by the time I took the dept. store class.
The one thing I do that most people don't is sew without using pins unless I'm having to match seams. To me, using pins seems like a waste of time, plus I don't have to worry about pricking myself while sewing.