One consideration I didn't see suggested is to use a stylus to help guide fabric instead of your fingers.

If the result of your problem is a narrow seam allowance, as sometimes happens to me, I simply turn the block over and re-stitch the end where the problem occurred - start where the seam is in the right place and continue to the edge of the fabric. The original, incorrect seamline is then in the seam allowance and never seen in the final project. This doesn't work if only one of the fabrics slides out of position.

Great ideas, ktbb! I often use my stiletto. I know a lot of people find it awkward, but it has felt natural to me from the start.
And sewing from the opposite end I have done on occasion. It saves the fabric from the wear and tear of ripping the seams.

Leslie

I had a beautiful sewing machine years ago, and found it was not suitable for quilting simply because when reaching the narrow 1/4" seam ends, the fabric was always pulled to the left. I noticed in a quilt class that others did not have this problem. It was all in the feed dog setup.

Some feed dogs are set too wide to control the entire run of a 1/4" seam. Some feed dogs are textured differently, such that they grab the fabric more effectively.

I sold my beautiful machine after trying out some machines my classmates brought to class. And bought one that does not pull at seam ends. Note that when sewing really tiny pieces, where the fabric pieces are simply too small to be held properly by the feed dogs and presser foot, a stiletto can really help.

Other things that can cause issues with straight seams: using a stitch plate with a big needle hole (ie a zigzag hole...try to use a single stitch needle plate for straight stitched seams), poor presser foot pressure, dull needles, poor tension.

I found my presser foot was bent.
bkay