A board member gave me a good piece of advice last week as I was cutting out millions of pieces for my Shakespeare in the Park quilt-
Don't cut our all the pieces at once, just in case you cut something wrong, it won't be all of them.

This is a great post!

Don't use steam on coarsely woven (i.e. cheap) fabric unless you're doing the whole yardage, because it shrinks more than good quality fabric. In fact, don't use poor quality fabric at all, even in your charity quilts! Save it for placemats or dog beds.

I love this one! I had a few times recently with the wider throat hole trying to eat my fabric. Each time, I straightened things out, ripped out the offending stitch/mess and started again. I have been afraid to put my straight stitch plate in because I'll forget and then do a pattern/zig zag stitch..... I already put a sticky note on my machine where I can't overlook it when I shut off and have to return and use a special setting.... I'm going to do the same thing with a sticky note for straight stitch plate.
Thanks, EasyPeezy for reminding me of this.

I learned that it is better to double check the amount of thread in the bobbin when doing machine applique. So glad I had an extra one wound also.

I have learned that "Measure twice, cut once" was written with me in mind!

when buying yardage for a quilt pattern, always buy more than called for. By the time I get around to cutting, piecing and boarders, the fabric is out of style or not available. Better to have 1/2 yard too much for your stash than not enough for your quilt.

I've learned that if I have to starch the heck out a fabric just to be able to work with it, it's not a good enough quality fabric to use in the first place.

Also have learned that no matter how cute the print is, I need to avoid buying it unless the fabric quality is also good.

I don't even buy backing fabric until the top is done. Too many times it was a struggle to make it fit.

All of the above suggestions are truly accurate. Sometimes it takes a lesson learned the hard way.

Make sure you know the thread weight and whether you need a topstitch needle before your sewing machine guy has to inform you that he had to replace your bobbin case for $30 because of all the burrs on it from using the wrong thread .