The worst advice I have ever heard given is "Do NOT wash the fabric before you use it"....wrong on so many levels....

The best advice "ALWAYS wash your fabric before using in a project"!

that and measure thrice, cut once!

Yup. Unless you're using a walking foot or even feed foot the feed dogs will slightly ease in the bottom fabric. "Bag the bottom" and "bias on the bottom" are old sewing sayings for a reason.

I always put my borders on the top, but never knew I was supposed to! THanks for sharing that!

Worst advice i ever recieved was, "Oh NO you CAN'T do that!!" Bullpuckies to that, I do what I want to do and the end result is what I want.

Whichever piece is the fullest is what should be on bottom. Meaning that if you have to ease a piece into another, keep the piece to be eased on the bottom, whichever one it may be. :) By the way, cutting the borders lengthwise reduces the amount of stretch. I never have wavy borders anymore since I started doing this.

Interesting...I do cut my borders lengthwise when possible, even if it means still piecing them together!

The worst advice I ever received was from an experienced quilter. I was even more of a beginner than I am now. I was making a wall hanging with an eight pointed star in the center. I could not get it lay down. I took it to a quilter, she said to keep trying. Duh, it was highly glazed chintz and polished cotton home dec fabric. That will never lay down - at least not for a beginner. I wonder where it's at? Somewhere in sewing room #1, I imagine.

Thank you so much to Scissor Queen and jaciqltznok for that info!!! on borders. I had no idea and there have been 2 times now when I get wavy borders, had no idea why! Love this board!

I think the worse advice was to don't waste my money buying quality supplies/tools. Cheap cotton thread and dollar store scissors will work just as good. No they do not.

Booking lessons with a teacher who NEVER used rotary cutter! Made us make all our own templates from cereal boxes!! Told me I was useless at choosing colours!!! Really lost confidence until a quilting friend made me get out some bright colours and I made my young grandaughter a little jacket! Really jazzy and everyone wanted to know where her Mum had bought it!!! Could have made a fortune had I taken up all requests!!!! Never had a problem since!!