Welcome to the board. Having the right tools will be helful The projects you picked to start with sound lovely and very doable for a first project. If there are groups or guild in your area it would be nice to join.

Quilting is a great way to create wonderful things, learn something new at every turn, occupy your mind, and maintain some dexterity. I have enjoyed sewing since I was 10 (1958), and quilting for about the last ten years. It never gets old. I have made quilts for everyone I love (almost!), and have a couple to do for my house, eventually. I hope you love it as much as I do. And you are in the right place here. Feels free to ask questions. There are always friendly voices and good advisors here. By the way, I also have a Brother. Not sure if it's the same model you have, but it has been my flawless, faithful companion for years. Never has a tension problem.

Another good resource is about.com/quilting. Lots of instructional videos and easy instructions.

Welcome to sewing! I have been at it since I was 15 and am very addicted. You can get great deals on sewing tools and rulers by using the coupons available. For instance Joann's and Hancock Fabrics have 50-60% off. They also take other stores coupons.

First, sign up for coupons at Joann's so you can save 40 per cent on the things you will need, a 22 by 36? cutting mat, buy the largest for all projects, a 6 inch by 24 ruler, a rotary cutter that uses a 45mm blade which is the most common size, some sort of suction holder for the ruler to keep from injury while your learning to cut or a Fons and Porter safety cutting glove and good pair of scissors that you use only for sewing like 6 or 7" Gingher and a small scissor for snipping threads on your projects. Don't buy a kit! Watch all the tutorials you can find on what you p[lan to do and watch them over and over. Suggestion, Missouri Quilt Co, but there are hundreds out there and here on this site. Change your needle or put a new needle in now and at the beginning of every project. Some people use a size 11 or 14, the numbers go up as the needles get thicker but important to use right size needle.

If the machine isn't new, I would suggest you get a tune up and cleaning and make friends with local sewing machine shop so if you have questions you can call for help. Cleaning your machine after every project is important too.
under bobbin and around in that area and thread and fuzz can build up and even dislodge you bobbin so you can't sew.

Hope this helps. My favorite rulers are 4 by 16 and 4 by 8 but the big ruler is imperative. Good Luck. Oh, you will get a new flyer by mail about every 3 weeks from Joann with 40 off. Keep us posted, 33 years and counting with MS.

Watch the blind quilter on you tube, she is amazing. she made me turn my I can't into my (I Can do this.)

I use june taylor cutting system for cutting strips, there are slots measured so as long as your fabric is straight you should be good. I cant cut otherwise. i am visually impaired and very bad at math so my cuts before were useless! Look online, get the biggest one they have. I have the 1|2 and 1|4" slots and one for 1|8 but use the 1|2, 1|4 " all the time!!!

Welcome. I haven't been quilting long and really find this group helpful. In addition to youtube instructional videos I'd also recommend the public library for quilting magazines and books. As far as basic tools the must have list posted by Rainsprite is perfect. I also find a 1/4 inch quilting pressure foot is invaluable to help keep your seams accurate. Good luck and post photos when you finish your projects.

Welcome to the board. I'm not a person who gets a lot out of just words either, so I love You Tube. They have videos for almost everything. Even when I mute the sound (because it's in a foreign language) the pictures make more sense. And, no, there are not any stupid questions. Ask anything you need to know, we'll answer. We've all been where you are. And when you are tired, take a break. Fatigue only leads to mistakes and the main thing is to HAVE FUN!

I have a friend with MS that took up sewing about 3 years ago....you should see how well she quilts now!!!! You will do wonderful and the internet is full of helpful ideas as well as here!!!!