I am a self taught quilter coming from a garment/home dec background. I was fortunate enough to be able to watch Alex Anderson on TV at the time. I would suggest getting a pattern you like for something small - table topper/baby quilt and just jump in. Most patterns/books will have basic info included in them - just check. I'm not a fan of pre-cuts but that's just me. There are some great patterns for the various pre-cuts out there that might tickle your fancy. The local library is a wonderful resource. Ours also hosts a quilting group weekly. Yours might also and they may be thrilled to have you join them.