I suck at needlepoint. I don't think it's hard to quilt. My first quilts were made completely without a machine, I sewed every stitch, pieced every square, by hand. Since the friend I'm making this one for is moving soon I am doing as much as I can with the sewing machine; I just don't have enough time.
It's not hard to learn, I actually didn't have any formal "education," I just grabbed some fabric and scissors and got to work. My grandmother was nice enough to give me some tips for my first quilt, but other than that it has just been me trying stuff and seeing how it works. When I was 8 or 9 and my other grandmother spent a week teaching me how to sew (among other things "nice girls know how to do," like set the dinner table properly for both formal and casual meals). At the time I didn't appreciate the lessons; never thought it would be a hobby!