I learned to sew when I was 8 years old. It was a Singer 15-91 in the cabinet. I had to take home-ec in Jr. and Sr. High - both classes did not teach me any more than I already knew. I had a 1973 Singer - let's say it was nothing but frustration and I quit sewing for 20+ years and bought a used Singer that I believe was a 301 - it was a work horse! But I didn't even have a manual for it. And I was able to sew just fine. The in 20010 I bought my Janome MC6600P - it had so much more than I was used to so decided to take the beginners class they offered. It was nice to meet the other folks and the machines they had and I learned to do the fancy stitches and various other things the machine would do. (I swear it would wash clothes if I let it - it just seemed to do so much more than my other machines.) And then I was taking my FW in to have it serviced - and ended up buying my Husqvarna Topaz 20. It was low-end to them but for me it was the perfect price and did magic when the embroidery hoop was attached. So I did take the class so that I learned to do it right. But it turned out they were more interested in teaching me how to use the sewing part of the machine and I was more interested in the embroidery part so never went back and got most information by trial and error and the internet. I do love my machines - they are so much fun.