Welcome to the QB. You are stating well what each and everyone of us have experienced, and what we are yet to experience. As long as there is a thread and needle there will be new things to learn. Like you the drunkards path is one I did once and now avoid. After close to 30 years of doing patchwork there is still something new to be learned. Each and everyone of us started somewhere and for some the learning curb is faster than for others. You are right about the quilting police in my head. There are times even on blocks I have made a hundred times that will come out just plain wrong. Who knows why?? Take your time to learn good technique and you will find so much joy in quilting.