Louis! I love your candidness and willingness to share your limitations (which you really do not have). This is an awesome and wonderful task that you are willing to do and to learn in order to do something special for your mom. I know that it will be wonderful. You have already learned so much from the Members on this Board and from your local quilt shop. Needless to say, you are well on your way to a successful quilt (and hopefully future quilting). It is an awesome talent with many rewards. If I have missed these tips from others, please forgive me.
1. You must "press" your fabric and not "iron" it. This just means that you pick up your iron and move it to another place rather than rubbing the fabric back and forth.
2. Spray basting: There are special "basting" sprays on the market. I have used the one that Wal Mart sells in their fabric center and it works well. This allows you to pick up the fabric and move it and then you can press it back down.
3. Your sewing machine will be able to sew these 3 layers. Normally, we use 1/4" seams. Whatever size seam you choose, just try to keep the rest of the seams consistent. This is for this quilt. If you begin cutting and sewing intricate blocks, then the seams will be 1/4". Stitch length is usually 2.5 on the dial. Sew a scrap of fabric and then adjust the dial to the size you want. Sewing the borders on with 2.5 is suggested as it will hold the seam together. I, normally, use a longer stitch when I stitch in the ditch (SID), maybe 3.0 or 3.5. Try this on a scrap too and decide what you feel comfortable with. When you stitch in the ditch you are not holding pieces of fabric together and you do not need such a tight stitch. These stitches are considered "decorative". Also, SID is recommended if your seam allowance is pressed to one side. If the seams of your quilt are pressed "open" (to each side) then SID is not recommended. Do your stitching 1/4" from the seam.
That is all that I can think of that has not been mentioned. This Board is amazing. The Members are amazing. You can NEVER ask us too many questions. We all started where you are and we all learned step by step so we totally understand and relish any question and we love to help each other. You have a great start and I know you will be successful. Yolanda