When I started out, I used the Quilter's Academy; A Skill-Building Course in Quiltmaking. It has 4 volumes: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. I loved it because it started with basic skills, and kept using those same skills as it added more complex skills. So it built your skills and allowed you to practice the ones you've learned. It is a fantastic series for a Newbie!
Oh, and it's by Harriet Hargrave and Carrie Hargrave. I found it on eBay for cheap. It's also on Albris, for a reasonable cost, and I've seen it on Amazon. But if I were you, I see if the library has any of the books so you could get a taste of what they're like before you buy.