One thing I did when I was new to quilting was try just one block I liked the look of. I made a kit of coordinating fabrics and just looked around. If I see a block I like, I make it. When i get enough for a quilt, I put it together and gift it to someone and start over.That way, I can have fun and not always be committed to a quilt. Or i can try new techniques without "ruining" a quilt (0: I think I have 35 or so blocks in my newest batch and still going. I get lots of ideas from blocks of the month here on the board and visiting quilters cache. Mostly, just have fun. Mistakes are just a lesson waiting to be learned.