Don't be too frugal to take a few quilting classes. You'll learn more quickly, be less likely to develop bad habits and feel like you're part of the quilting community. Be choosy about what fabric you purchase. The cheap stuff is just that, cheap, and more likely to cause problems down the road. Don't buy fabric you don't love, just because it is on sale. It will sit in your cabinet for years, with no purpose in sight.