I found Quiltmaker, the first mag I subscribed to when I was a beginner, was really good. Good selection of beginner-friendly quilt patterns and very clear directions. It also gave suggestions on how to quilt it, and many times, a differentcolorway. I also think McCalls Quick Quilts was good. I like Quiltmaker even today, and have kept all issues since 2000 when I first subscribed. I still find great patterns to make in old issues.