When I started sewing (bought a cheap White at Joanns) I had horrible issues too w/that 1/4" seam. As a beginning quilter/sewer it was very frustrating. I too could watch the machine pull the fabric away from me. i always felt tired because I felt like I was fighting my machine to sew straight. I too tried lots of the same guide tricks (tape, sticky notes, stiletto, 1/4"foot). Anyhoo, I once borrowed my mom's nice Brother & suddenly had a perfect 1/4". Upon further investigation I found that the feed dogs mechinism, inside the machine worked slightly different.... My White, while moving up and down actually also rotated a right to left creating IMO a slight "pull" on the fabric which I found was throwing my 1/4" off. Whereas her Brother's feed dogs truly moved only up and down and front to back -- viola no "pull" & a great 1/4"!
I ended up ditching my White and buying cheap Brother and being happy ever since. i do love my 1/4" foot though.