Hi Christine, welcome to the QB. Pick up a roll of "BLUE PAINTERS TAPE", this will become your friend. When I started quilting I placed a strip of BPT on my sewing table (next to the base of my sewing machine), then I placed another strip of BPT on my sewing machine (above the tape on the table going in the same direction). I used a tape measure to mark my lines on both tape strips in the same places. This made it easy to see inch and half inch (something I always wanted to know). Then I would take a LONG strip of BPT, place it going from the front of my sewing table up the front of my machine and across the top of my sewing arm and down the back side and onto the top of my sewing table. You are marking your 1/4 inch seam allowance. Doing this step takes a little time, but it is wonderful. It takes time, but you will have a straight line of sewing every time (because front and back has the same tape with the same seam allowance). This makes learning very easy and helps keep the frustration level down, and the BPT will NOT hurt your machine or sewing surface. Good luck and enjoy your new projects.