I think the idea of a mug rug or place mat or table topper as a starting point is excellent. They are fairly useful items, and still provide a lot of opportunities to learn if one like the idea of sewing or not.
Also, it the item ends up being "a learning experience" - the investment was comparatively small in materials and time.
I still think a pot holder - while a useful item - is not the "right" thing to try to learn about quilting.