Mimi, I know it's been awful for you....but it could have been way worse too. I've heard stories of people who waited YEARS for their custom frame- and when it came it was all wrong. Happily you only lost a couple of months in the timeline of life on this project, right? And now you have added experience and knowledge that will ensure everything comes out right this next time.

I am curious, however....I certainly understand the wanting a steel bike (steel rools). But why exactly is it that you want an Italian frame? What is it specifically about Italian frames that you can't get in other frames?