I first learned from my grandma on her treadle. We made a little drawstring pouch, and I have to say that she sort of took over. She was a lovely lady, but she wasn't always patient! Then she taught me how to embroider by hand, which I still do. She also attempted to teach me how to crochet. All I did was make knots! Ha!
I learned to sew on buttons by myself. I used to get buttons out of my mom's button jar. I would practice seeing them on by sewing them onto a piece of Kleenex. Once I finished, I would pull them off, and try again.