You know every person you talk to will have a different answer, the important things to remember Accuracy in cutting, and sewing, precision in pressing. I have seen first time quilters make incredibly beautiful quilts and I have seen some that have been quilting for years make quilts that well needed help, Those three little things will take you far in quilting then if you can have someone to give you pointers on borders (I always measure through the middle then tear them the length of the fabric then divide quilt and border into fourths or eights and pin together) Binding is the biggest issue that can take the longest time to perfect. Because it is easily seen it is the first thing to judge the quality of the quilt. There are some very good tips on binding here just search or maybe someone else will chime in with the answer.