Welcome from another "honey".......I too just retired and have been learning how to quilt, after sewing for years. If you are a self teacher I would encourage you to go to library and get most basic books on quilting; watch the myriad of tutes available and then contact a local quilt shop for lessons. When I took lessons for beginner in May I didn't think teacher was thorough enough. I didn't know how to correctly use a rotary cutter nor a mat and only learned when I did something wrong.
Good luck and hope to see the efforts of your labor sometime in the future !