sewing

American  

[soh-ing] / ˈsoʊ ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or work of one who sews.

2. something sewn or to be sewn.

---

sewing British  

/ ˈsəʊɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. a piece of cloth, etc, that is sewn or to be sewn

   2. ( as modifier )

      sewing basket

---

Etymology

Origin of sewing

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at sew ¹, -ing ¹

Explanation

Sewing is the craft of stitching things using a needle and thread. If you enjoy sewing, your elaborate, hand-stitched Halloween costumes might be the envy of all your friends. Before the invention of the sewing machine in the 1800s, sewing was done by hand. This kind of sewing involves threading a needle and taking repeated stitches through fabric, to attach several pieces to each other. The sewing that goes into a modern, mass-produced piece of clothing requires speedy, electric-powered sewing machines doing all the stitching. You can also use this word for a stitching project: "Have you seen my sewing? I thought I left it on the coffee table."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sewing

I soon had cleared a whole shelf and was back to sewing happily.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

It features the base of an old sewing machine pasted over with a cigar box wrapper and the oft-reoccurring theme of a moon, sun and stars.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

For the tourists' benefit, Vlkolinec puts on traditional craft demonstrations, from sewing folk costumes and gingerbread decorating to mowing and haymaking.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

Some 45 original stockholders invested alongside Hawk, a sewing machine salesman.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

Inside were fabrics, sewing shears, a pincushion of needles, and several spools of thread.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• tailoring