as for the puckering...well I can tell you I ignore it! lol it's just part of having a hand made quilt :) If it is bad, I will un-do some stiches and try to straighten the puckers out, maybe stitch around the pucker so it looks like it is supose to be there lol...I have never been able to get my quilts during quilting to be completely flat ( meaning without a pucker or fold )
I'm sure there is a trick to it..maybe basting, or a lot of pins, but I personaly have never used either.