As a newbie, I've got several of my current project's 9-patch squares that aren't entirely square. And if I square them, they'll be too small. So I've left them unsquare, and on the parts that aren't long enough to reach a full 1/4" seam (by this I mean REALLY close so that the stitch line is almost on the edge of the fabric), I find that backstitching that portion and then running forward again creates a nice sturdy stitch that is not likely to create a hole in that spot down the road. I know it's creating bulk in the seam, but I'd rather have bulk than a hole later on.
Otherwise, I'm not locking in my stitches at the beginning & end.
Last edited by Teeler; 04-04-2013 at 05:42 AM.