The best way to start, just to wrap your head around the process, is to find a picture of a quilt you like. then "deconstruct" it and recreate it (without their written pattern). it gives you a good place to start, and you learn how things go together. I would also encourage you to make your own simple changes on that pattern (for example, put in a four patch where there is a solid square, or anything else). that way you make it your own and again, explore how pieces can be planned out. After you get used to that, you can get more complex and fancy, but this is just a beginning suggestion.