The Wisdom of Mending Things Sooner Rather Than Later

Where does the saying ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ come from?

Being proactive and doing something right in the beginning will save the trouble of trying to catch up later. Frannyanne/Shutterstock

We have all been warned, by a parent, a grandparent, or a teacher: “A stitch in time saves nine.” Chances are, we’ve said it to people, too.

But why a “stitch,” and why, more curiously, “nine”?