Nike, I can't sew a straight line and I never use patterns because the directions confuse me. I can tell you that I love to sew and people seem to like my quilts (of course, would they tell me if they didn't?).
Take a class and be a robot at least once and you'll learn all sorts of neat tricks. Don't sweat the 1/4" seam unless you want to be a world class quilter (which would mean very little to any one who has gotten one of my quilts).
Enjoy. There is no quilting "box" to stay in unless you decide you want one. And then, in 6 months you may change your "box" and be off onto something else. Enjoy!!!!!!