If I may make a suggestion, why not start out with an easy wall hanging or pillow cover just to get the hang of cutting, piecing and quilting to make sure you enjoy it, before diving right in and making a bed size quilt. Also, maybe pick up a magazine or two about quilting (there are always quiting magazines sold on ebay, sometimes in a lot of 5 or 10 magazines for a few dollars.)
I am a real believer in reading all I can about a craft or project I want to tackle. I can suggest "Quilters Complete Guide (Fons and Porter) or, as someone else mentioned, "Your First Quilt Book". You can't go wrong with either of these. And you could probably find a used copy of either of these on ebay, too.
I hope you enjoy your new endeavor! It's very addicting!