There are certain features of our yarnbombed piano that will only really be enjoyed once she reaches a forever home at a Women's Fund grantee organization - but that does not make them any less fabulous! In fact, these wonderful knits are two of my very favorite parts:
If you've visited any of the pianos out in public, you've seen that they
have uniform, gray, custom-made benches, equipped with GO Ahead &
Play information and maps, tethered to them. Here is Claire's gorgeous piece that covers the seat of the "permanent bench" (the one that came with the piano - bench and piano will be reunited when she retires to her indoor life of luxury).
We lined the inside of the permanent bench, leaving some of the music books and a notebook of the child (Emily) who once learned to play on our Betsy Ross Spinnet. See that bright pink book on top? That "sheet music" was knitted by Wenchciara, who transcribed the notes of "You Are My Sunshine" on one of the pages! (She's also responsible for making all the lovely treble clefs that we've attached to the piano!)
Indianapolis, you've only got a few more days (until August 18th) to head down to Monument Circle and find "Tickled Pink, Tickling the Ivories" - GO Ahead & Play!
It's about to happen! Later this week (in three days... but who's counting?), our piano will be on Monument Circle!
Are you ready? Have you been practicing your piano skills? Here's a video of Tim from A
Tune Above Piano Tuning (who volunteered his time to tune 20 pianos -
twice!), playing a bit of music on our piano, Tickled Pink, Tickling the Ivories. I know, you want me to
zoom out so you can see the whole thing, but I didn't want to ruin the
surprise when you see her in person!
... sometimes it's about pianos and paint. Or pianos and mirrors. But for me, especially today, it's mainly about pianos and smiles (and videos! Click my links, I'm serious - I got this stuff on video)! At first, I thought it was simply going to be cool to cover a piano with knitting (oh, I'm right about that; but I digress). I was tickled when I'd find crochet pieces in my mailbox, and pleased as punch every time one or more of our merry band of "fiber enthusiasts" would join me at a "piano knit night." And how nice to walk into the LYS (local yarn shop) and find someone had left a knitted piece or a ball of yarn in the "Pink Piano" basket!
Then I started to notice as I would encounter other artists or Women's Fund staff or their families in the workspace, every single time they saw our pink, yarny piano, they smiled. They touched it. They told me they wanted to hug it. Then they smiled some more. Sure, I thought, these are people on the journey with us. Of course they are being supportive.
There were two preview events for for the pianos today, and I went to both - these were the only chances people would have to see all 20 in one room! At the first one, there were lots of kids... and they loved our piano (especially the pom poms). One toddler tapped on the keys for a minute, with a big smile on her face, and then she looked at me very seriously and said, "Thank you for making this pretty piano." I swear, I teared up! I thanked her for playing it, and I had to look away because I didn't want a baby to know I was a crybaby!
At the second event, people were admiring "Tickled Pink, Tickling the Ivories" and all the pianos, taking pictures, smiling all the while. Then, as a gracious speech was winding down, we were told that for 18 months, the GO Give Back students had really put their heart and soul into this project... and someone started playing Heart and Soul at a piano behind us. People smiled. Then Tim (yes, Tim the intrepid piano tuner) started playing it on Cheryl Anne's piano beside us. More people smiled, and then another person joined in playing on our "neighbor," Nancy's piano... and then another in the corner of the room... there were huge, wide smiles all over the place. It was really a wonderful moment!
I can hardly wait to experience random passersby reacting to pianos all over town! I hope people will want to see as many as they can... and I especially hope that a certain pink piano on The Circle makes them smile.
We lined the inside of the permanent bench, leaving some of the music books and a notebook of the child (Emily) who once learned to play on our Betsy Ross Spinnet. See that bright pink book on top? That "sheet music" was knitted by Wenchciara, who transcribed the notes of "You Are My Sunshine" on one of the pages! (She's also responsible for making all the lovely treble clefs that we've attached to the piano!) 
