I highly recommend making a sampler with piecing, paper piecing, appliqué, curve piecing, etc. each block should challenge you a different way. Make your mistakes all over this quilt and when finished, let it be the one u toss in the trunk for emergencies. I also don't enjoy y seams or machine appliqué so I don't do those. See what u like and u will get good at it fast. Don't forget to enjoy learning!