To help my granddaughter do an accurate 1/4" seam, I stacked up about 8-10 layers of masking tape; used a ruler to rotary cut (using an old blade) a straight edge; and then stuck the entire stack exactly1/4" away from the needle. By stacking the tape, it made a "wall" for her to butt up against. You'll have to cut the strips just long enough to make a "wall" but short enough that you can remove the plate when necessary.