Very good guide lines to follow. I also wish I knew these things as I started to teach myself to quilt. I spent so much money of fabric I will never use. I was saved the gadget dilemma, I have always worked with just a mat, rotary cutter and basic rotary ruler and never seen a need for anything else until I found the Bloc- Loc Ruler for HSTs. Lucky me.
Over 25 years and several thousands of $ in fabric, I still consider myself lucky!
Thanks for your insights. They are always helpful, even for old dogs like me!
peace