I understand the fear factor. My husbands mother is a quilt artist and has been quilting for more than 80 years. Seeing her work is intimidating. I also know myself. I am my worst critic. So... here's my advice, from one beginning quilter to another:

Think about some of the things I've learned recently. They really help.
1. Take a deep breath.
2. Take a class and drive the instructor nuts (like I do with questions, questions, questions). I really pity the poor person.
3. You can always resew (is that a word?) a seam.
4. You can always recut a bad piece.
5. Your seam ripper is your friend (mine's name is Jack).

Ready yet? Oh, yeah. Don't forget to laugh at your mistakes. Mine can be really funny.

You have the support of the members of the quiltingboard. What can go wrong.
I was going to suggest you 'don't make anything'.
Take your machine, thread and scizzors to the radio or tv room. Out of and away from your sewing room. Take some scraps, cut the common size squares (3 1/2?) and start seaming them into a jelly roll. You never have to do anything with the jelly roll if you don't want to but the act of sewing may get your blood flowing.
If you do decide on a pattern maybe just take one section at a time to the radio/tv room and sew it. Ie: cut all the squares. Clean up. Seam the squares. Clean up. Press the seams. Clean up. Maybe a simple 9 patch. Make one square. Clean up and quit for the day. If you bite off small pieces and don't look at the finish line until you get there it will not be as overwhelming.
The Barjello is the most beautiful thing (next to the Cathedral Window) ! It looks very complicated and beginners say it isn't. I am going to study that pattern and someday I am going to make one!
WE CAN DO THIS! We have a very strong support group to help us and we don't have to do it alone!
The best to you. You can do this! You have already reached out and many times that is the hardest part.
We are with you.

A while back I had the pleasure of attending a talk by Mark Lipinski (formerly of Quilter's Home Magazine) who was so funny, we were rolling in the aisles. As he showed us his beautiful quilts, he just tossed them into a pile on the floor. A large gasp went up from the assembled quilters and he said
"Ladies, relax, it's only fabric." Try to think of that when you go in your sewing room to play - it's only fabric.

My very first pieced quilt was an 81x108" quilt - 35 blocks (12"), 5 across - 7 down. I was scared, but I had so much fun. The one thing I did was I made the quilt my way - I went to quilterscache.com and dug up the Antique Tile block (12") and made a story out of each block - hence my memory quilt. I also wrote a story about each block. Oh, hey, there are mistakes galore, not a whole lot of people can see them from a racing horse, but I know they are there and they are part of me, learning, experimenting, but most of all, having an absolute ball. I made that quilt when I was 70 years old - I am 71 years old now, I probably aged about 10 years in that one year (only kidding - I have gone on to make 16 quilts! Some are really big, some are lap,, some are crib, some are NICU and one doggie blankie! Two I donated to the Breast Cancer walk, 6 are Quilts for Kids, two for NICU, and the rest for family and new babies in the neighborhood. I am so totally hooked that I have two gouges in the carpeting where the ironing board sits. I don't care. I love what I am doing. Does that help at all? Edie

start with something small
do NOT use $15 a yard material for your first project...
go to walmart, get some of the quilt of the month fabric ($2+ a yard) - DON'T start with the quilt - just get some of the fabric that you like..
make a wall hanging...

see that was easy...

go bigger

LOL

I have to agree with others that we are our own worst critics! We need to get beyond that and try to enjoy the creativity we all have. I would never think of entering a quilt show, but for those that I have made quilts for, I have been blessed that they like them. They never "see" the mistakes. So, just sit, take a deep breath, and know that someone will love what you have made for them! We are all here for you!

Hi Janet - I totally understand - I took sewing lessons when I was about 10 years old.........the blouse I made was unwearable and therefore I never tried anything again.........

.......that is until about 2 months ago - with the internet, and especially the people on this board, there is always someone to encourage you, give you their honest opinion and always willing to help with a question on how to do something.

While I'm waiting for a beginners quilting course to be offered in my area, I have come here for advise and help and sometimes it is overwhelming the responses I get.

Well enough of my rambling, if Dagny with all her "experiences" is still pursuing her passion..........seems like there is no reason for any of us to not just jump in.

So my advise, from a newbie...........pick something easy, quick and colorful and just do it........and slowly your confidence will build.........

I've made 3 quilted purses, a "sampler" of different blocks, some sausage pillow cases all on my way to my first quilt.......I am very nervous about starting it but as with my other projects.....I will just do it and learn from it.

Find a group of other quilters and just sew strips together for starters. There are tons of things you can do with strips. For added freedom, make them scrappy...that's right, nothing has to match. When you're done. cut your sewn strips into long rows and add a border , do it again , 3 times altogether. When you're done you will have a Chinese Coins quilt top. Don't know if this will help but strips are great when you can just mindlessly sew them together and end up with a top.

I agree with Joan, don't get too ambitious with your first attempts. Also, I wonder, are you talk about "quilting" or "piecing". When I started I called everything quilting. It took me a while to realize these are two completely different parts of the same thing. Piecing was easier for me in the long run. Slow down, take my time cutting, practice 1/4" seams. But when I started FMQ I was like you, FEAR of ruining my beautiful (to me) quilt top. I did the stitch in the ditch for a long time before I ventured out to other things. Still not a pro but I can do stipples, leaves and vines, echo stitching and curlyques pretty good and these get me through all my quilts. Just jump in, work on something you love and have fun.

Determine an immediate goal -- picking out fabric, cutting, piecing, layering, quilting, whatever.

Set a timer for 10 minutes and promise yourself you can stop when the timer goes off. If you want to continue, you can set the timer for another 10 minutes.

When nothing else works, this does it for me.