I'm going to pursue this with all of the great advice already given. I think it's right on the money. I do however want to clear up a few things.
1. She does not own a machine of any kind. She did a good chunk of this quilting by hand alone.
2. She's been sewing for quite a while. Long before she and I met. Embroidery is her thing and only recently did she discover quilting. She's always done her sewing by hand without the aid of a machine. Every time we go to a craft/fabric store I have to tear her away from the embroidery floss. We rarely escape without purchasing some.
So to answer the concerns of a few: she is not new to sewing. She is new to quilting and sewing with a machine only.