JHENIFER PABILLANO

This one’s for all the seamstresses looking for scissor sharpening in Vancouver. Quality Saw and Knife at Quebec and 4th, yo!

Since I took the bus there, they kindly sharpened my fabric scissors while I waited with the baby. (I think typically you drop your scissors off and pick them up later.) And it only cost a cool $5.60!

The sharpening staff is there from 7am to 2pm, so they were able to squeeze my scissors in as long as I arrived during that time.

Where’d I find their name? From the Chowhound boards: here’s one post about knife sharpening, and another. I might try Sharpening House in Kerrisdale next time, but I’m not sure any of the the mobile services listed would come out for just one pair of fabric scissors. And I totally doubt the Santoku store would work on my old sharps (but prove me wrong, please!).

For L’s first Halloween, I tried to find a store bought costume and save myself some effort. But there were hardly any costumes out there, and the ones that did exist were like $60! I mean, $60 for a costume that she’d never ever wear again? Please.

So I sewed my own, and I’m super proud of how it turned out. Onesie, pants, spats, peanut shell, top hat: all made by mom!

As well, please note the monocle and walking stick to complete the outfit :) It’s the little things that count, you know?

Well, really, from the looks of it, this steak’s probably raw. But it’s well done from a sewing perspective. I made my own pattern and everything!

Why a stuffed steak? I don’t know, why not? The T-bone is such a classic shape. I investigated doing other cuts of meat in stuffed form but they really don’t work: a roast just looks like a big red cylinder. So: steak ftw! It also doubles as a pretty comfortable pillow, in a pinch.