sewing basket
Definition
Noun: A small, portable container, typically made of wicker, fabric, or plastic, designed to hold and organize the tools and materials used for sewing, such as needles, thread, pins, scissors, and thimbles.
Usage
A sewing basket is used for storing and transporting sewing supplies. It keeps items organized and readily accessible for mending clothes, doing embroidery, or other needlework projects. - She reached into her sewing basket for a spool of blue thread. - My grandmother's antique sewing basket is filled with buttons and ribbons. - Keep the sharp scissors in the sewing basket so they don't get lost.
Advanced Usage
- As a collective term: The phrase can refer not just to the container itself but to the complete set of sewing implements it contains.
- Her entire sewing basket was spilled onto the floor.
- Metaphorical use: It can sometimes be used to symbolize domesticity, traditional crafts, or preparedness.
- In her view, a well-stocked sewing basket was a mark of a capable homemaker.
Variants and Related Words
- Workbasket: A more general term for a basket holding materials for needlework or other small handicrafts. A sewing basket is a type of workbasket.
- Sewing kit: Often refers to a small, compact case (sometimes a pouch or tin) containing basic sewing tools, which may be stored within a larger sewing basket.
- Notion box/caddy: A container specifically for small sewing items like buttons, snaps, and hooks (notions).
Synonyms
- Workbox (specifically for tools)
- Needlecase (though this typically refers to a smaller case just for needles)
- Hussif or Housewife (a dated term for a small fabric roll-up containing sewing tools)
Related Phrases
- To rummage in the sewing basket: To search through it, often in a slightly untidy manner.
- I had to rummage in the sewing basket to find a matching button.
Noun
-
a workbasket in which sewing materials can be stored
