Sewing And Stitching Idioms

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1️⃣ Measure twice, cut once

The saying emphasizes the importance of careful planning and double-checking everything before taking any irreversible actions.

Example: "She always measures twice and cuts once to make sure she doesn't make any mistakes."

2️⃣ Cut from the same cloth

Used to describe people who are very similar in personality, characteristics, or beliefs.

Example: “Those two troublemakers are cut from the same cloth!”

3️⃣ Needle in a haystack

Finding something very small and difficult to locate, much like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Example: "Finding a good employee in this company is like looking for a needle in a haystack."

4️⃣ Sew the seeds of…

Describes the process of initiating or starting something by dropping little hints or suggestions – planting an idea, so to speak.

Example: “She sewed the seeds of creativity in her children.”

5️⃣ Hold the thread of..

To express control or influence over a situation.

Example: “She held the thread of the negotiations.”

6️⃣ Cut a wide swath

Someone who behaves in an expansive or pushy manner, resulting in significant influence due to their forceful impression.

Example: "The new CEO is cutting a wide swath through the company, making big changes."

7️⃣ In stitches

First used by Shakespeare in Twelfth Night, this idiom is often used to express the act of suddenly laughing uproariously.

Example: "The comedian had the audience in stitches with his hilarious jokes."

8️⃣ Patch things up

Refers to the act of repairing or reconciling a relationship or situation, just like how you would patch a hole in the fabric.

Example: "After their argument, they needed to patch things up and reconcile."

9️⃣ Fit to be tied

First appearing in the early 1880s and used to refer to certain patients in mental institutions with uncontrollable outbursts that required being tied up with rope or cloth, the saying is often used to express extreme and uncontrollable anger.

Example: “Dad was fit to be tied when I crashed his car!”

🔟 Come unraveled

If something or someone ‘comes unraveled,’ it means they are falling apart or losing composure, just like a poorly sewn seam.

Example: "His plans for the project came unraveled when he realized he had overlooked an important detail."

1️⃣1️⃣ Tangled web

Often used to describe a complex and confusing situation, much like a web of threads.

Example: "The situation at work was like a tangled web of misunderstandings and miscommunications."

1️⃣2️⃣ Measure up

Can be related to ensuring something meets a particular standard or expectation, much like measuring fabric accurately.

Example: “Measure up to the task at hand!” an employer might say to her team.

1️⃣3️⃣ A stitch in time saves nine

Addressing a problem early can prevent it from becoming larger and more difficult to fix – just like fixing a small tear in the fabric.

Example: "Remember, a stitch in time saves nine, so it's better to fix problems early on."

1️⃣4️⃣ Sew up a storm

Applied metaphorically to denote intense or rapid activity in any context.

Example: "She loves dancing and can sew up a storm at the party."

1️⃣5️⃣ Leave no loose ends

Refers to completing a task thoroughly, without leaving anything unresolved or open to questioning, akin to finishing a sewing project with all loose threads neatly secured.

Example: "When writing an essay, make sure to leave no loose ends and tie up all the points you make."
EFL subset that concentrates more on language in context than on grammar and language structures. It covers topics from accounting or computer science to tourism and business management. "Specific" means the studying through a field that is already known and relevant to a student.