Here, here, great advice.

Wow Beautiful, I'm sending mine out to be quilted, I am in the "Fear Zone" when it comes to hand quilting, Yours is wonderful, I don't think I'll live long enough to learn to hand quilt. I wish I had learned from my Mother In Law before she lost the use of her right arm. Beautiful tiny tight stitches. What a fool I was. Now I would love to have that talent. But I'm loving the challenges I come across.

My suggestion is to choose a few colors of fabric you just love. choose a block you'd like to try. maybe cut out one pattern. Maybe you don't need to sew it today. All it takes is one step at a time. Now all of us quilters are not looking over your shoulder. We are sitting right with you whispering encouragement. Then come back to the board and let us know how you are doing. We will be hear. We will listen.

Maybe start with just 2 pieces of fabric and put batting in the middle and quilt in the ditch or tie it and of course the binding. I use to buy the silk binding (like on a baby blanket) finally learned to make my own binding and do bigger and better quilts. difinatly not show stuff but good enough to give the kids at church and my g-kids love them! And I have a fun hobby! Soooo just do it!! Pretty soon hubby will have to drag you out to make dinner. lol

Anyone remember that old commersial...Try it, youll like it! Except with quilting Youll LOVE it!!

Janet, if you are afraid, try using an old sheet or something that you don't really care about. Take small steps at first, and then as you get more confidence, try using better fabric, and a little more challenging pattern. It can be scarey at first, but if you don't jump in and try, you'll never know if this is the hobby for you. What is that old saying, " the hardest journey starts with the first step" or something like that. try it, you can do it!

I know the feeling, I have material, 2 machines, rotary cutter...etc....and read, read, read. TODAY, I started a scrappy quilt...it's fun...and relaxing.... and I like it...scared to death...but I like it!!!

I find that if I look at a whole quilt top, it really intimidates me and I feel like I can't possibly do that. But if I can break it down into just one block at a time. Then it seems very managable. I like the block of the month, and row of the month, because having a whole month to make one block feels like no problem. Surely even I can do that, LOL.
I am just a one step at a time person, that's what keeps me going on a project that I wouldn't think of trying if I had to look at all the instructions from beginning to end right at the start.

Take a class!! That is one way to really learn, and know that others in that class don't have all the answers and are learning too. I can't say enough good about taking that first class and coming home with something you want to finish. It's great!!

Hate to tell you, but if your hubby holds your hand, you won't be able to do a good job. The effort takes both hands. lol

Just kidding.

So what is the worst that could happen?
You may miscut something. Odds are, you will. Then you cut a new piece and move on.
You may sew some pieces together wrong or with an inconsistent seam allowance. So as a result your blocks may not match perfectly.

It's all part of the learning process. Jump in, do the best you can do and follow the instructions. Along the way you will learn, and try new methods and grow in the quilty craft. Hopefully you will have fun too.

We all started where you are. Oh yeah - and when you mess up the fabric - you get to go buy more. lol