Stitches

why does a stitch in time save 9?

how come it is 9 and not 3 ...will a stitch in your side save you having 9 later on? and how can anyone sew a clock? hmmm

Public Comments

1. ha ha ha, 9 rhymes, 3 doesn't.
2. a stitch in time saves nine....this saying means if you have a slow steady pace you dont make as many mistakes
3. You can minimize a problem by taking a small corrective action now rather than waiting to later on. For example, if your clothes seam comes loose, refastening it with one stitch now will save you from having to make nine stitches tomorrow when the seam has loosened even more. Expanding on that, if there is a small plumbing leak in your house today and you fix it now, it will be less work than if you wait for a ceiling to be ruined too. Time and nine almost rhyme making for a catchy easy to remember phrase, but you could as easily say, "A stitch in time saves six" or eleven, etc. to get the point. 2 years ago
4. It is a rhyme to teach us one of lifes truths. If you sew up a hole in your sock, clothing in time before the tear gets bigger you will save yourself from having to do more work.
5. The phrase originated with T. Fuller, who wrote in 1732: "A stitch in time may save nine". He chose "nine" for the assonance, to help people remember it. Only Dr. Who can stitch up time.
6. if you take care of a problem early it saves extra work taking care of it later
7. A stitch in time saves nine stitches. Meaning mend a problem before it gets too big. Pro-active.
8. 9 is 3 in 3 dimensions. 3x3=9.