First of all, Welcome to the board and welcome to the wonderful world of quilting! Since you are very new to all this, my first bit of advise is this... Hand pieced and hand quilted quilts are nice but they are NOT the only correct way to make a quilt. Quilters have been using the sewing machine since the 1800's to piece quilts. They did handquilt most of them but if they had had the machines that are available to us, they WOULD have machine quilted too. Don't get me wrong, I've hand pieced and I've hand quilted (still DO) but that doesn't mean that it's the only correct way to quilt. Next, if at all possible, take a beginner class. You will learn the basics with hands-on, one on one help from an expert. Once you learn the basics, you can flap your quilted wings and fly. This board is a wonderful tool, but I really recommend a beginner class. It's well worth the cost and the time and will save you lots of un-necessary frustration that could discourage you as you start your new interest. Good Luck! You are among friends!!