dot the i's and cross the t's

In reference to cursive (joined up) writing, where adding the dot to the letter i and the crossbar to the letter t is done after one reaches the end of the word and thus may be forgotten if one is not being careful.

• "Before taking the project to the CEO, let's make sure we dot the i's and cross the t's."
• "1858, United States Congress, Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, D. Appleton, page 387; from a January 1820 debate Pray, sir, what is the object of referring a bill to a committee —merely to dot the i's and cross the t's?"

• i-dotter
• i-dotting
• cross someone's T
• jot and tittle
• mind one's p's and q's