I am glad you said a DP9...I am going to use that pattern to teach a class in January...I have been preparing some samples over the holidays to show them how colour and placement of fabric changes the look of the whole quilt, and I am learning too...with this pattern, you can learn measuring, cutting, string piecing, seam pressing, etc, and I even tested to put some sashing in between...
My first (and only) we made an Irish Chain 9 Patch? and it was great too...learned the same things...
Both are good for beginners...