So glad it worked out for you!  I’ve always felt that pie crust works very, very well by hand.  The softened butter is a bit odd, was it a recipe for a pate sucree (sugared crust)?  Even for that I use cold butter, but it’s the only place I could imagine softened butter.

it wasn’t pate sucree - it wasn’t sweet at all. I’ll have to fight the urge to keep practicing once a week in order to build up my technique. Though my husband wouldn’t mind - he’s always been a pie person rather than a cake person. I think my favorite pies I’ve had and made are from Rose’s pie book - the pumpkin, the pecan, the apple, and the lemon merinque. I’ll have to try that pumpkin chiffon. But in Italy it’s too hard to get many ingredients, and I don’t have Rose’s book with me. Gives me something to look forward to when I get home.