After teaching her basic sewing machine skills, I would teach her a four patch, have her put a border on three sides of each block and then set them together. That way she has to match fewer seams, but gets the experience of sewing straight seams, matching them, pressing them, etc. Keep it simple so she will experience sweet success as soon as possible. froggyintexas

One that comes to mind for me is the Turning Twenty.https://www.google.com/search?q=turn...w&ved=0CDwQsAQ

Here is one I made

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Yes, a rail fence lap quilt is a great way to introduce a beginner to the wonderful world of quilting! Pretty colors and prints will add to the fun.

I thank all of my Quilting Buddies for their suggestions. I think I will let her come to my house to sew the quilt and see if she likes doing quilting before investing money for supplies. Also, I will have pictures of the Rail Fence, Yellow Brick Road, Boxed Square and One Block Wonder, let her choose. I hope she likes quilting, I need a quilting buddy, plus she works at Hancock's. LOL

When my girls (ages 11 and 13) made their first quilts just before Christmas, the youngest chose all squares, but arranged them into a pattern, the oldest chose to alternate 4 patches with coordinating larger squares. Both turned out really well, and gave them practice matching points.

Here's on of my Brick Wall type quilts. https://www.flickr.com/photos/391684...57639978717914

Here's the link to the free pattern.
http://www.thelinusconnection.org/20...cks-quilt.html

Sharon in Texas
one of the Linus Connection's blanketeers:D

Rail Fence or even a Jelly Roll Race (without the race). Good luck

Good advice from bearisgray. When I was in my required 7th grade sewing class (required oh so many years ago!), I was advantaged because my mom had already taught me to sew several years before. But I was still required to sew what was called our "gym bag," to hold our tennis shoes, socks, shorts and blouse. It was a simple one-piece creation with a draw-string closure. Perhaps you can do such a first project in which she can carry her sewing items. It will get her comfortable with the machine before have her tackle matching seams and such. :)

I always start my students out with "Rail Fence" they learn the basics (aligning fabric, rotary cut, 1/4" straight stitching) FQs are easy for the beginner to handle. My goal was to teach the basics & get a really good finished lap quilt & if they quilt it you have the sandwich lesson, types of basting & the quilting or tying. Then the binding.

Pennyhal and I are on the same page when it comes to teaching beginners. We could have been looking over each other's shoulders during my two efforts at teaching Texas granddaughters (and others) to sew and quilt. My first year was spent teaching all of them to use the rotary cutter, measure WOF, close the rotary cutter, sew a 1/4" seam with a painter's tape on the sewing machine.

This year was a little more advanced--we used 2-1/2" rolls (I forget what they are called); everyone made a strip quilt, placing them long ways and side ways, or cutting into 2-1/2" squares and sewing them, matching all corners. Needless to say, some of them, found the four matching 2-1/2" squares too hard to deal with. But, all in all, we had a wonderful time, lots of wine, good music, and fun cutting and correcting mistakes.....