Hello from Michigan! I'm a quilt teacher and taught a class for beginners for a couple years. If I can be of any help, let me know. The way I teach beginners is to make a 12 block sampler, starting with a 9 patch block (about as easy as you can get) and progressing in difficulty with each block learning new techniques until the last block is a difficult applique block. Do you have fabric selected? Do you know what size you want to make? Just send me a PM if I can help.