@Acorn Reading a book yesterday - looking for inspiration (still lacking), I read the 'instructions' section
and came across this:
'Get a book that has templates printed in it and trace one off - it should have the outline of the piece and the sewing line marked. Cut out your tracing just inside the outline. Lay it on the original drawing the check the outside edge fits along the outline in the book, and the seam line matches. Take your tracing to your machine and set it under the foot and drop the needle on the sewing line, making sure it is straight. Take a piece of insulating tape and stick it along the edge of the template and use that as the seam guide.'
If the tape will interfere with the feed dogs, or bobbin load, try putting a ruler under the needle and lower the needle by hand so that it just touches the ¼-inch line, make sure the ruler is straight and use a fine pencil to draw a line ¼ inch to the right on the body of the machine leading up to the stitch plate and put tape along that.
You can also use a wad of masking tape - use a craft knife to cut a section though several layers and peel the piece out. Being higher it gives you something to set against.
'Scant' is a matter of a thread or two on each bit - they all add up (how do I know this?).