Hello, welcome from Oklahoma!!! I'm happy to have sewing friends if you are close to Norman, OK.

Yes I agree that you should start out small, but I feel that new quilters don't make as many mistakes as the old quilters because they are reading the directions more often. Older quilters assume or they are thinking about something else and they forget a step. Just remember to have fun!

Why don't you start with large blocks. Try to do the 1/4 seems but don't don't get frustrated. My daughters first quilt was with 8in blocks that she put in rows and then since they wouldn't match up with seems we put sashing strips between the rows so you wouldn't notice as much. It turned out so nice. When she came over to my house and showed me her 2nd quilt done all on her own; still large blocks but no sashing but just about all the seams matched up I was so proud of her I could have cried and she did it all on her own. You just have to get in there and do it. If you are worried about the cost of fabric use old clothes or buy cheap fabric from Walmarts but unless you just do it you won't get better. My daughter has limited skills and my 25 yr old singer so she can't even say she has a great machine but she's determined. Even though she takes long breakes in between sewing she wants to do it. You can do it but you have to start to get better. Even the most experienced person on this board finds someone who is better and all of us makes mistakes and sometimes we make big dumb mistakes that a beginner wouldn't make because she's more careful.

We all make mistakes!!!!!!!!! Some of mine include sewing the binding to the back of the quilt instead of the front which meant the hand sewing would have taken place on the front and at that time I was'nt that great at sewing on bindings, but with practice I am alot better and now it would'nt matter. Another was to start quilting with no backing!!!!!!!!!!!. Thankfully it was FMQ all over and had only done about 10 minutes worth, when I went to pull the backing to make sure there were no wrinkles, there was nothing to pull!!!!!!!!!!!! I kept thinking I'm getting better because I sure got this one ready to quilt in a hurry. LOLLOLOL Please dont worry about making mistakes, we all do it.
Carol

Hi and welcome from Kentucky! Try making a 9 patch doll quilt and take it from there.

Welcome. All you need is passion. Everything else comes with practice.

Hi and welcome from ONtario, Canada. Work on smaller projects first until you feel comforable. YOu`ll get over your fear. :)

Welcome from Michigans' "tip of the mit". I teach quilting at a local quilt shop and have had many newbies. They're all afraid to cut the fabric and goof up. If you start with some solids (which are much less expensive that prints) and get a very basic pattern or book from a recommended teacher (I think Eleanor Burns is a great one), you shouldn't have any problem diving in and making that first quilt.
Start with a very basic pattern but make sure it's one that is pretty to you. It's fun to stitch something pretty... I've had times where I had to sew up a quilt with fabric picked out by someone else and I didn't enjoy it at all.
Buy a little extra fabric ... a little more than the pattern calls for. You might feel better knowing that if you make a mistake, you'll have that extra.
Don't make too large of a quilt for the first one. Maybe a lap quilt. It should be a quilt for YOU so that if you make a mistake or have points chopped off or if your corners don't match completely, you won't have to worry about what someone else thinks of your sewing.
Check out the many tutorials on the web that show tips. There are great tips for getting an accurate 1/4" seam to what needle size to use... what thread to use...etc. Also check out the local library. I found a great book on how to machine quilt (Harriet Hargrave) and lots of books of patterns. These won't cost you anything but can really be helpful.
And last of all HAVE FUN... it's a hobby not a job... it should be enjoyable. Don't take it too seriously. If you check out quilts in antique shops you'll see that quilters haven't always worried so much about perfection. I have AT LEAST one mistake in every quilt I've ever made and I think I've bled on each one too.... always sticking myself with a pin!
WELCOME!

Youtube has many videos on quilting, some are beginner's classes. It also helps if you know someone who does quilting in your family or neighborhood. One on one help where they can start you out and you can see and follow what they do, as well as ask questions as they arise. It will help you to take a class, you can learn with others and you will be able to ask the instructor questions too. It does seem overwhelming at first, but once you get started you can go at your own pace. It seems you are headed in the right direction to begin. There will be others in the class that will be starting new too. If you have a great machine, that is half the battle! Try reading your manual and take some scrap fabric and get used to how your machine operates, correctly threading your machine, trying to sew long strips of scrap fabric, practice sewing a 1/4" seam. If your machine doesn't have lines etched into the throat place, you can measure 1/4" from the needle, outward and put a piece of masking tape down with a line at 1/4" parallel to your presser foot. Then, put two strips of fabric, right sides together, pin with straight pins or just hold them together and sew your quarter inch seam all the way down. Just practicing getting an exact 1/4" seam is a good skill to learn.
Hope that is clearly described for you.

Hello and welcome from Minnesota!
We all make mistakes! :)