Silk corset too small, and artwork for work

The good news: I finished the silk corset body, and have started on the sleeves.

The bad news: it's way too small. I'm using the size Medium design option, which should have given me plenty of ease, but maybe my gauge was off. (Wouldn't surprise me... Usually I knit stuff like hats, which I felt until they fit, or scarves or shawls, which don't have to fit as closely). Lesson learned -- knit a bigger gauge swatch next time, and measure more carefully after blocking.

Anyway, the thing is so tight I don't think it would stay buttoned. Options are either a) frog it and start over, or b) finish it and give it to my sis, and knit myself another one later. I'm leaning toward the latter. She liked the design so much when I showed it to her she said something like, "Hm, maybe I should learn to knit." She's thinner than I am, and these colors (if you can call grey and black colors) would definitely work for her. Sis, consider yourself warned.

Today went to K's house and bought some old Douglas Fir from her, along with an antique Singer. The Singer was originally a treadle, but was electrified (fine with me!) and might just fit into the treadle table I have (I have the original treadle head in the basement -- much older than K's model -- but it was never electrified and had wonky tension, so was never very useful to me).

Other news: We're moving to new offices this weekend at work (the movers are moving the boxes we packed over the weekend, that is), and I actually have an office, complete with a door, rather than a cubicle. This is partly because the person who was going to get the office is going to be telecommuting from Boston instead, but all the same, I'm happy to finally have an office.

Since I'll actually have a wall or two to hang stuff on, I'm thinking of bringing in some of my paternal grandma's art in. I really don't have a good spot for it at home (the walls are already kind of covered with various pieces). Need to get two of them framed before I take them in. Here they are:


For balance, here's a pic of the only painting I own by my maternal grandmother. She taught art and was professionally trained as an artist and architect -- worked during WWII as an architect, in fact, but had to go back to teaching at the local high school after the war.