You use your regular foot (it's labeled A or F here, but you can check your manual to make sure) to piece stuff together. Your 1/4" guide foot may be very accurate for sewing two pieces together, I have a Brother, and a Janome (feet are interchangeable) and did the test, and mine was.

Your walking foot is used to help keep the pressure even from above when you are feeding thick fabric through. The feed-dogs must be up, or in normal setting. They are that way from the factory.

- Never heard of putting the feed dogs down when using the walking foot....the point of the walking foot is to have feed dogs on top & bottom working together at the same speed to allow the top & bottom to be pulled through equally

I am also new to quilting and I purchased the book "Quilting For Dummies". :o Have to say it explains stuff plainly and very thorough but I have sewn off and on for over 40yrs...eeps still weirds me out to have my age stare at me lol. Well am 55 but didn't sew coming out of the womb ha ha hmm but mom did have me via c section so maybe sewing IS in my blood!