Someones rules or tips are not for everybody...I don't like to pin so I do very little pinning. For me the most important is precise cutting and quarter inch piecing. I started cutting with scissors until I learned about the rotary cutter. I found that lessons helped me more than books in the beginning because I have to see it being done, I am a visual learner and I like to ask questions of why it is done that way. Some like to build a stash and some don't, some wash fabric before starting a project and some don't.
One thing I wish I had known is that there is a quilt police....but they have no authority over you. Just enjoy the journey and it is ...your journey.