The accuracy of the 1/4" is achieved by setting your needle one way or the other. The setting number can be different with each foot. I made a note of what needle setting to use with each foot. Leaders and chainstitching really cuts down on the "eating" problem. If I am not lazy at the time I switch my needle plate to the single hole one. And no, I do not use the AF foot for piecing. I also am not fond of Janomes 1/4" foot. The guide is bothersome tonme, so I snapped it off. I also recently bought the O2 foot and that seems to let me go over bulky intersections easier. In feneral I love this machine, but the 2 complaints I have are the bulky intersection problem and the thread jumping out of the take up lever causing chaos! These 2 concerns jump uo all the time on the Yahoo group sitr. That site with its files have wonderful info.