The Best Sewing Advice Our Readers Have Received

"My great-grandmother was a seamstress and passed down to me these wise words: 'The making is in the pressing.'" --Nancy B.

"My mother always told me you should be able to wear your finished product inside out. In other words, the inside should be as neat and finished as the outside." --Cathy Z.

"Measure twice, cut once! It was from my dad in relation to cutting wood, but it totally applies to fabric!" --Lisa C.

"Pin each intersecting seam before sewing. Press, do not iron all seams. Quilting is about love, not perfection." --LouAnn C.

"Always buy a little bit more fabric than the pattern calls for." --Coline S.

"Trim all your threads as you sew so the underside of your quilt doesn't look like a rat's nest." --Susanne W.

"Rulers are not created equally! Stick with the same ruler throughout the project." --Kristina G.

"My mom told me, 'stop when you get tired, that's when you make mistakes, tomorrow is another day.'" --Emily S.

"If it looks good from three feet away, leave it alone." --Jeanette S.

"If things are not going well—turn off the machine and iron, leave the sewing room, and go get wine." --Donna L.

"My grandmother told me if you're not going to do it right then don't do it at all. Do the best job you can so you can be proud of it when it's finished. And she also told me me to sew what you love, because if you don't like what you're working on then you won't do your best work." --Teresa B.

"My Mom's advice: If it is worth doing, it is worth doing well. That rings in my ears ALL THE TIME! Good advice, though." --Jeanne S.

"Don't decide to not use a fabric because it is too special, or because you might need it later or because you might not have enough. Use it, enjoy it, then go buy something new and different." --Terry H.

"When you are totally frustrated with the project go take a walk or some kind of break. When you come back the problem usually solves itself." --Marti B.

"Don't compare your worst with some one else's best!" --Paula S.

"Never sew a stitch smaller than your smallest seam ripper." Sally L.

"Buy the best fabric and tools that you can. You put a lot of time and effort into making a quilt." --Carol V.

"To close the rotary cutter after every cut." --Cindi M.

"Treat each step like it is the most important step." --Laura A.

"From my Mom...Never sew over a pin, pull it out when it gets close to the pressure foot. I didn't one time (being stubborn) and the pin broke in half and flew into my face, about a 1/2 inch from my eye. Mom was right..." --Janice S.

"Always remember, people who never do anything...never make mistakes!" --Stella B.

"Those who don't sew...don't know." --Martha W.