Hi Prin! I'm a newish member (just a couple of weeks) but I've been quilting for a long time now (started back as a senior in high school in 1978). You have sewing skills so use them and skip the quilt police rules. When I first started I came from a garment background and it was before rotary cutters and rulers, so a 1/4" seam just seemed impossibly tiny, I used a 1/2" seam for the first couple of years. Now I've been quilting so long that 1/4" seems pretty darn big... but I often get in a scuffle with the quilt police because I do press my seams open and not to one side. I have for decades and my quilts have held up just fine and I have reasons on why I press open -- but most of the quilt police don't have reasons for their rules, they only do it because that was how they were taught.
If you wish to be judged in a show there are some things you probably should do but you don't need to worry about them now. The big things are to be happy and have fun
PS: Greetings and welcome Olea, had to post when I saw your name!