A Tarptent is much less complicated than a quilt or a jacket, but a good first project is a stuff bag. You get practice following directions, use various stitches and end up with useful product. Make them different sizes and colors! You will need a bag for your tarptent and for your quilt, too. For the tarptent you will need to know how to sew a French seam for the ridge line. You can learn that on your stuff sack. Another member here contributed this pattern for a quilt to go along with the one already here.
http://home.comcast.net/~neatoman/quilt.htm
To cut out patterns and to make trial runs, get the thickest mil plastic painter’s drop cloth you can find at Home Depot. These can be sewn together to form a bag or test the width of you quilt.
If you become a member at the Backpackers Light website, there is a recent article with photos and diagrams on MYO quilt, but the ones above should be enough, too.
PS I understand RunRowPaddle’s opinion about the ease of projects, but the tarptent just involves long straight line stitching. You can see mistakes clearly and fix them. Seam sealer (silnet) will fill any neeedle holes if needed. Be sure you have a seam ripper. You will make mistakes! That advice was given to me by a professional seamstress whom I assumed would not make errors.
