Hi Leona: Welcome! Seattle is my birthplace. You mentioned your mom in Granite Falls.......YEARS ago, the early 70's, my XH was transferred to Snohomish for his work and I met folks in the motel where we had to stay for 2 weeks while our house was being vacated. Anyway, they bought s grocery store in GF and hired me to work for them. These folks' vision was to make their store look like a Bavarian Village shop like the whole of Leavenworth,WA did years ago. Don't know if they ever achieved their goal or realized their vision? I worked for them only a few months then went to work in my social services career field. Don't remember the people's name but they had a cute little boy named Jeff. Small world, isn't it?
Back to quilting...some of my favorite quilt pattern sites are:
Quiltbus.com
Quilterscache.com
There are also a bazillion sites listed with "How To" instructions. When you go to a quilt site, make sure and check out their LINKS. It won't be long you'll have a whole library of quilt patterns from ultra easy or 1 thimble to the 4 thimble (advanced) variety.
MY BEST TIPS: MEASURE TWICE, CUT ONCE AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE UNIFORM SCANT 1/4 INCH SEAM ALLOWANCES ON EACH AND EVERY PIECE YOU SEW...THE SEAM ALLOWANCE CAN REALLY MESS UP HOW YOUR BLOCK GOES TOGETHER AND HOW POINTY YOUR POINTS ARE, ETC. ALSO, PRESS YOUR SEAMS...USUALLY TO THE DARKER FABRIC. PRESSING REALLY DOES MAKE YOUR BLOCK EASIER TO PUT TOGETHER AND HELPS YOU LINE UP CROSS SECTIONS SO EVERYTHING GOES TOGETHER JUST RIGHT. i ALSO HAVE A SPRAY BOTTLE OF WATER BY MY IRON AS THIS HELPS SMOOTH OUT YOUR BLOCK SEGMENTS. I like to spray starch the finished block. Lots of people like to spray starch each piece of the block as they sew and some like to spray starch the fabric BEFORE they cut it. Spray starch make the block look very crisp and nice.
Again, Welcome!