What is your advice for someone who has absolutely no real sewing experience/skill but really wants to learn?



Well, if you really want to learn that’s a good start. You’re not going to stick with it if you don’t really want to do it. 

The way I started was I bought a machine, I figured out how to thread it, and then I just practiced on scrap fabric. (If your stitches aren’t straight at first don’t worry. I’ve been at it for twenty months and mine aren’t always straight.) Once you’re comfortable with the machine, get a cheap test pattern at your local fabric/craft store or even Wal-Mart. There are plenty of YouTube videos that teach you to read a pattern. There are even a few that will take you completely through sewing it together. Since more commercial patterns are the same, once you know how to read one, you can read all of them.