I have problems keeping my seams 1/4", but have learned to slow down and relax...my first blocks were made in a BOM but I never received any direction on how to put them together. Now I am squaring them up and will be sewing them together after all these other projects are done. You are your own worst enemy...go ahead and let the longarm expert do your quilting. Everyone had to start somewhere and you will look back on your first quilts and laugh.