Welcome from the other end of Washington! No, you don't need a fancy table. a left corner or any of that! Starting like you, but without even one machine, ruler or etc. you find how little you really need to make a heart warming, pride filling little quilt. There is no right or wrong. Hand quilting is a great pleasure and I like to do it after machine piecing and does not IMHO make the "quilt weaker". Just like pressing seams open instead of to one side does not weaken them if you are machine piecing.
I agree with the "just start" method of learning! Get a few pieces of fabric, look on a site like Quilter's Cache for million of block patterns and try making just one block. Like it? Make another maybe the same, maybe different.
Pretty soon it's the "Look what I made!" moment. Check out the library. There are often great beginner books on the shelves as well as more advanced if you are a book learner like me.
Have faith that you will figure out what works best for you. Just don't get talked into spending a lot of money on gadgets for this, that and the other thing when something you have around the house may work as well! Try anything! No one has to see it until you want them too! Go for it, we're all here for you!