Announcing - My First Project!

The last few days I've been looking at my resources and searching free patterns for a good first project.  I have some leftover fabrics from my mother and I originally thought that maybe a scrap quilt would be a good first start.  I like the look of scrap quilts, especially strips and I found this one
: Jigsaw Puzzle Quilt.

Mother's stash

How fun is that?  I love the colors and black background, so I thought I'd found a match.  Well...after really looking through the scraps I had from my mother, I realized that most of the fabrics I have are blue florals that are similar in shade and won't provide the kind of contrast for that quilt. 

So, my journey to find the perfect project continued...

I think I've looked at hundred different projects and really don't have the fabric on hand to make any of them look great.

I did find that I like the Disappearing 9 patch pattern.  I'm familiar with the 9 patch from my disappointing non-finished wall hanging from a few years ago, and I love the finished look of the pattern.

Then, last night I came across Rachel Griffith's P.S. I Quilt blog and she had this gem of project - Disappearing 9-Patch Tutorial - The Super Easy Way!  In it she gives the step-by-step on how to make a super cute disappearing 9-patch table runner, using charm packs.  So there's no need to cut or fret over trying to coordinate colors (and I'm a total novice at both).

So...there you have it...my first project is chosen!  Tonight, I'll be running to JoAnn's to find fabric. :)

What do you think of my first pattern choice?  Do you have any tips to make my life easier?  Let me know by leaving a comment below!