All of the above advice is good. Like almost everything in life, quilting is more complicated that it looks at first. Starting with a smaller project like a bed-runner would be smart!
That said, my first project was a twin-size French braid quilt following Jane Hardy Miller's directions in her book, French Braid Quilts. In the introduction (I think) the author states that the pattern is appropriate for beginners. While I am blessed with a good eye for color and had a wonderful time putting together the "color runs," I couldn't begin to understand her instructions. Luckily I had a friend who translated them for me. The quilt took me months to construct, and I ripped out many seams along the way.
The twin-size quilt turned out quite well - better than it should have, given my skills at the time. (Note: I took it to a professional long-arm quilter for the actual quilting!) Would I advise anyone else to start with such a project? NO! Heck, in the three years I've been making quilts since then, I've yet to make another as large as a twin.
How 'bout a bed runner with matching pillow cases/shams?