TR20 Tailors Tape, $1.20

This vinyl-coated 120-inch tape is flexible enough to curve around furniture, long enough for most jobs, wide enough to hold easy-to-read numbers, and tough enough to last. Flip it over for centimeters.

To Buy: The Perfect Measuring Tape Company, www.perfecttape.com for buying information.

Handling the Curves: Forcing a rigid metal tape measure to hug curves (whether they're on a wing chair or a waistline) results in less-than-precise measurements. A tailor's tape goes with the flow. For example, if you're making your own slipcovers (better-fitting than ready-made and cheaper than custom), it drapes easily and tucks into crevices to mimic the way the fabric will fall.

Cutting the Fabric, Not the Tape: To avoid accidentally snipping your tape in half when you cut, try this tip from Leslie Segrete, a carpenter and seamstress on the Learning Channel's While You Were Out: Lay the tape on top of the fabric to measure, put the top blade of the scissors between the tape and the fabric, and make a notch. Then remove the tape and continue to cut.