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Have you ever had a so-called interior decorator step into your home and shake your hand gravely with a look of "Oh you poor thing! This is your home?" In most cases, I would have thrown her out almost immediately, free estimate or not, but I was not buying from her. If she really was an accomplished interior designer, what was she doing measuring blinds and taking orders for Costco?

Cream Caress, 25% mohair yarn. For a scarf for a friend.

She looked me up and down and brushed the lapels of her jacket to draw attention to her clothes. Me? I had struggled to stuff myself into my jeans when I had heard her car pull up. I had brushed my teeth but I am not sure the hairbrush had had a close encounter with my hair yet. But, you know, this is Boulder. Millionaires and hippies abound; and the homeless guy with the cardboard sign on the Table Mesa exit off Boulder Turnpike is probably better dressed than most of them. I am neither but we can pretend.

She went clomp clomp all over my house with her thick ankles and fat feet that were pouring out of her high heeled shoes, insisting on giving me a quote for windows I wasn't interested in. I think she just wanted to see the rest of the house. She insisted on calling my living room 'the fam-i-ly room.' I corrected her but she still put it in the order as the family room. I don't have a formal living room or a formal dining room, for that matter. I wanted it that way because I think those two rooms, in particular, are a huge waste of real estate. They would need to be adorned with expensive furniture that we would hardly ever use.

The Hunter-Douglas sale was upto $100 off per window. She offered me only $25. The blinds that had $100 off per window were too expensive, she said in a condescending tone. I was very close to asking her to leave but Costco rates were far too attractive and the end of the sale a little too close.

The yarn has a lovely feel to it. It even has a shine.
It is not, however, of a consistent thickness
making my knitting look uneven.
Still there is a lovely charm to it. Medha does not agree.

A ridiculously high quote for our bedroom window made my husband finally agree to try out cordless Redishades that were selling at Costco, again, for $29.99. They aren't the greatest but they are a lot better than what we were living with currently. I did however almost bust an artery when I saw my husband cutting them to size with my best and most expensive knife. It was a gift from a dear friend who had made a sheath of cardboard held together by duct tape so that I could store it in a drawer and not risk slicing my fingers every time I reached in for something else. He figured that since it had been put away thus and he had never seen me use it, it was fair game to be used as a tool. If you've been a reader of this blog for a while. you might know that this is one of my pet peeves.

The pattern is called Wisp and is the most delicate pattern
I have ever knitted. I should have used larger needles than US8
because this looks nothing like the pattern!
Medha feels it looks untidy.


Madam Interior Decorator arrived, after much back and forth, to finally take the order. She had that look of abject pity on her face again because I had whittled down the order to the absolute essentials. I had also let go of the dream of having a remote for the blinds in my kitchen. Homes in the US are not made for those petite in stature and just like I cannot comfortably reach beyond the first shelf of my cabinets, I cannot reach the wand or the string for my kitchen blinds. My husband had installed an extra long wand to which was attached the cover of a pen into which was hooked a small Christmas ornament. I tucked this through my knife block, making sure that the knives kept it in place. I could only tilt the blinds. If I needed to pull them up, I had to get onto a stool to reach for the string. And let's just not talk about opening the window. I had dreams of using a remote... but never mind.

She showed her impatience by tapping her ugly nails on my beautiful smoked glass dining table. I know that many women spend a lot of time on their nails but I'm sorry I find those fake nails rather repulsive. They remind me of claws. And, claws should be on animals. The continued tapping of her nails as I gave my credit card details to the clerk at Hunter Douglas over the phone began to annoy me. I usually have a very thick skin but her general demeanor and attitude had started grating on my nerves.

As she left, I told her that it must be a pain to carry that around everywhere. Oh! I'm used to it, she said, lifting her heavy portfolio bag in acknowledgement. I just looked pointedly at her extra large hips, straightened my trousers around my own, smiled and said: Oh, I wasn't talking about that. Good bye!

I have been agonizing over it, not knowing what to do next.
I need to complete it and have it in the mail by October 31.


She may have the last laugh though. The last date for mailing in the damned rebate forms was October 13. I thought it was tomorrow. I proved once again that I am stupid and that rebates are for better people than me.

So what do you think I should do? Frog it?

23 comments:

Kitt said...

I think the scarf looks lovely! I think you will find that blocking it will relax the stitches and make it look fabulous. If you think the smaller needles are really a problem, you could try doing a swatch on larger needles to see how you like it before frogging this.

And phooey on Ms. Fat Ankles. Who knows what kind of horror of a house she lives in?

Unknown said...

Pretty scarf..

Anjali Koli said...

LOL ! I loved this sophisticated insult. So everyone is getting trained at Bee & Jai's you say?

Hey I quite liked the pattern and the color. It almost looks like raw silk.

Anita said...

It's pretty as is. But I can see that it probably wants to be even more delicate...Like Kitt suggests, try it our on larger needles then decide.
I hate to frog and keep putting it off...sometimes for years. :D

You did not really tell her off, the Ms Snooty Interior Designer? Doesn't sound like you.

Indian Food Rocks said...

Kitt, I hadn't thought that far! To blocking, that is. I have no clue how I will block a 52in long scarf! Any suggestions?

How large do you think I should go? Size 11? Size 13? I have size 10 DPNs and that is the largest I have. Hellooo, Michael's!

I'm really not sure why my house, its location, its size or lack thereof, etc make a difference to anyone. I've had someone who lived in a rented mansion in Rock Creek in Superior say to her husband: Even they have bought a house while we are still renting.

They? I mean really, how lowly are we that we would not be able to own our own house? She wanted to know how many bedrooms. When I told her, she was aghast and was quick to say that the finally tally must include the office. Um, no. She was so upset that I calmed her down saying that they are all really really small.

Silly, but true.


Divya, thank you! Do you knit?

Anjali, I am just following all the trendsetters. Priya, Bee. You could be next!

It is almost like raw silk except that only 25% is mohair and the rest synthetic. It's called Lacette


Anita, I think so and I think that is what Medha was getting at. I don't have years. I don't even have a month. I need this to reach before mid-Nov.

What if I did tell her off? I am not saying, of course. But sometimes labels tell a story, too.
;-)

amna said...

Nooooooo don't frog it. Its pretty and delicate. If i were the recipient i wud love it for the effort u put into it and the fact that its handmade by a friend.

keep going, it looks just fine!

Nirmala said...

Oh my couldn't stop laughing on your comment on the extra-large-hips! Love the pattern! Send me a scarf too :)

indosungod said...

Made up houses and made up women, long nails and all, hard to live in and hard to live with don't you think?

The scarf looks really pretty. I am not qualified to offer any suggestions.

Purnima said...

U sure give right looks to people who deserve! :D I m not into knitting, no clue of needles but yes..the work you hv done looks good to me! Too good to b wasted!

Shilpa said...

The scarf is absolutely gorgeous, though it looks different than original, I love it. I have seen this kind yarn in Micheals, but I thought it might break easily by the amount of tension I apply while knitting/crocheting. It looks so delicate. Probably I was wrong.

I loved to read thr' your experience. I simply hate such such people.

Bharti said...

Very pretty scarf. I'd be over the moon if a friend sent me something like that.

Mamatha said...

No, don't!!! It looks so pretty.

Can't stand those annoying condescending types, with their fake claws and patronizing talk. I remember, walking into some random haute-couture store while visiting a new city, the heavily made-up sales associate with her nose up in the air asked me, "So what brought you to this store?"!!! Whatever brings the others to their store! And why was I singled out and asked this question.

Mamatha

Rajesh &Shankari said...

The scarf looks absolutely elegant and so is your "creative Writing"

Laurel said...

When you block it, it will look very different. Lace is magical like that! Maybe slightly bigger needles next time... but you may be surprised.

Anita said...

I would be over the moon too if a friend sent me that! [I can't believe i did not say that already!]

Unknown said...

Hi Manisha,
Excellent! Excellent! your post today and your knitting. I loved both, so much so that I had to delurk. Its tough commenting on your blog, I can never remember my google password (had to reset it now). I am enjoying you Nablo.. whatever.
Your writing is inspiring.. I cant knit or at least havent tried it since high school and now I want to knit my dau the scarf. Looked at your pattern, but twas Greek. But I'll get there.
PS : BTW and I just had to get it in, I always wanted to ask did you go to Fort Convent or St Anne's. Regards from Q8 - Angela

Priya said...

the scarf does look pretty Manisha, its looks really delicate, something that you would want to take good care off :) please don't frog it, you could use it as a place mat, if nothing else, on your table ?

and claws are the right word, why would anyone want to have such things on their fingers, and it really irritates me seing them type with those things...aaah!

musical said...

What people!! I mean, this babe needs serious lessons!

And the person who made the remark "they.....", it's so surprising that people stoop to such low levels! i wonder what it is that makes them do so. Inferiority complex may be?

Besides, my house is my comfort zone, and it's tough to understand why it should be anyone's concern on how i "decorate" it, unless i hire them for this purpose.

And Manisha Tai, that pattern is beautiful!

Indian Food Rocks said...

Nags, thanks! But now Kitt has put a be in my bonnet and I need to at least try a swatch!

Nirmala, the line is growing longer! I'd love to but I just don't know how! I wish I worked faster and I wish I had more time!

Indosungod, there are those who love to look good and they do it for themselves. These people are usually secure in themselves and don't feel the need to put others down to feel good about themselves. This woman was not one of them!

Purnima, it's never wasted per se. It's part of the learning process. Just like what I tell Medha when she gets frustrated at a mistake she made.

Shilpa, this yarn has to handled lightly and you need to loosen your gauge slightly. Large needles help. It is fairly strong and will not snap or break easily. Try it.

And thanks for letting me know that the delft blue yarn for the Special Olympics scarf can be found at Wal*mart. My local Wal*mart did not have it but apparently they have new colors that had come in but were not yet up on the shelves. So I might try again this weekend.


Bharti, well, I've been sent over the moon so often over the past couple of years that it's my time to give back!

Mamatha, I have to try what Kitt suggested. This is only a couple of hours worth of work - took me longer to do the first 2 sections of fishnet lace but now it's moving faster. So I should be able to catch up soon. Fingers crossed!

Shankari, hee! You are so sweet!

Laurel, please help me with tips about blocking something this big. I don't have any blocking apparatus and I have been getting visions of softboard pins holding the scarf up on my wall!

Anita, I am sure you will find yarn like this in India. It's not like wool or acrylic and so will be easy to knit with even in warmer months. But you have balmy weather right now - so make one!

Vanamala, thanks! Do you like to knit or crochet?

Angela, red checks, baby! Only for a short 3.5 year stint though and several eons ago. :-D Pick a simple password and have your browser remember it for you. Believe me when I say I don't know much about knitting either but I haven't let it stop me. There are a ton of how-to videos on the net. Sign up at Ravelry - there are a zillion free patterns. Start with small simple patterns and gain confidence - you'll do just fine. It's like riding a bike - you don't forget! So glad you delurked!

Priya, place mats in my home need to be the kind that can be scrubbed. Medha has inherited some terrible genes - from me this time - we both like to wear our food and the trajectory for that often leads to more than a few spills on the place mat. :-(

I don't know how they type with those nails and the clickety clack is even more annoying than the hammering when I type.
:-D

Musical, and this was on the first meeting. We did not have much to do with those people. I have since heard that they have left the area and returned to India. Good for them.

I agree with you - my home is precisely that. My home. Not a museum. It may not be perfect but it works for us and very well that, too!

My neighbor, a senior, is a part-time masseuse and had a similar run-in with one of her customers. The woman stepped in, looked around and said: what a wonderful little place you have here!

It's the 'mine is bigger than yours which makes me better than you' syndrome.

Manasi said...

Oooh those nails!! There is a slaeswoman in our local walmart who has nails like 12 (oh alright, 6 inches, not kidding) inches long and she paints them in ALL possible colors! Scary I tell ya, but what makes it yuck! to look at is when she tries and opens the glass cabinets with her bunch of keys.. God! One tends to reel back in horror and gasp and say, " I say! is it halloween ALREADY??"

As for the scarf, it's LOVELY.. so delicate and looks so soft! If I were as lucky to have someone make it for me, why I'd be strutting around showing it off!

Kitt said...

Manisha, you can block it on a bed. The yarn is thin enough and the air is so dry here. Dunk it, give it a couple of spins in the washing machine (i.e. put the machine on spin cycle without water in it and let the scarf make a few rotations), then pin it out on the bed. You can put a fan on a chair next to it to speed the drying.

Miri said...

Touche! is all I can say for that last comment! Hope you do get that discount!

Rachna said...

heee the last comment was so funny.... love the scarf yaar.....dont frog it