For a beginning quilter the block of the month approach is often challenging given their skill level. I have done several of those classes and they would have been difficult if I hadn't had some quilting under my belt first.
There are some excellent suggestions here already. I would recommend you try a simple block such as log cabin or rail fence and see how that works. Having someone that has done a lot of quilting watch you is an excellent idea. Slow down if you are sewing fast. Use pins. So many of the videos you see the quilter is going lickety split with the machine and not using pins. Many quilters can't do that and they need to take a slower approach and pin. I'm a pinner and I had a friend tell me she was surprised I used pins because I was so good at quilting. My response to her was maybe the reason for my nice looking quilts was because I pinned.