tapper the advise has been good when I first started quilting that was my biggest problem until I trie the Mary Ellen Hopkins way just relax sew for fun and go Mary's way PPM personal private measurements as long as you are consistent it works and the best book I still have in my Library is it is OK to sit on my quilt by Mary Ellen Hopkins and the quarter inch seem will become very easy just relax sew for fun and enjoy I have not run into any quilt police on the board