No da puntada sin hilo

[ROBINDESBOIS]

How do you say this saying in English? No dar puntada sin hilo, meaning that everything sb does is measured to the milimitre.

[Tomisimo]

Might this work?

My boss is really watching me like a hawk.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

@David: it's rather when you do something about which you have calculated everything you'll need (and maybe even consequences) in advance.

En México se dice "no dar paso sin huarache".

[Rusty]

very calculated
very meticulous
dots every i, crosses every t

[ROBINDESBOIS]

yes it´s somebody very meticulous, literally he doesn´t sew with no thread. Do you have a beatuiful saying like this one in Spanish ?

[poli]

I sometimes hear: anal
anal retentive
by the book
T.A.
tight assedsomewhat vulgar
O.C.D.
obsessivie compulsive

[ROBINDESBOIS]

By the book sounds familiar but you don´t have to follow something by the book. We use it when you do something with a reason in mind, to take advantage of sth.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

I'd say that this expression goes beyond the mere fact of meticulously doing things. It means you don't do anything spontaneously (like helping others, for example) without planning everything and knowing in advance you'll get some benefit from it.

[poli]

Doing something by the book can mean you are missing something. There is no need for insight in things done by the book.

For instance if you learn language by the book, you will not truly learn the
language.

[brute]

Originally Posted by ROBINDESBOIS

yes it´s somebody very meticulous, literally he doesn´t sew with no thread. Do you have a beatuiful saying like this one in Spanish ?

All sewn up?