Grace, This recipe was given to me by friends in Oregon many years ago. They were twins and their DH's always told them that they should enter their pies in the fair. I do sometimes have some trouble with this. As with anything you bake, the weather plays a role in the outcome. On humid days you might need less water, whilt on a low humidity day in the middle of winter you might need a tad more. A hint that my mother taught me was when you roll out your crust & want to fit it in the pie plate is to use a spatula lifting carefully with the spatula & your fingers and fold it, lightly, in half, then do the same so it is lightly folded in quarters. This size is much more manageable to lift into your pie plate. Once you have it positioned in your pie plate, simply, carefully unfold it. This really helps me but even so, sometimes it breaks. I don't worry too much if the bottom crusts breaks since it doesn't really show anyway. If it happens when you do the top crust...Well, then everyone knows that it is homemade & not from a box or whatever:-)!!!

Crisco Pie Crust
2 1/4 c sifted flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 c Crisco (heaping)
1/4 c cold water

1. Combine the flour and salt.
2. Take 1/3 c flour-salt mixture out and place in a small bowl.
3. Cut crisco into remaining flour salt mixture.
4. Combine 1/4 c water with the 1/3 c flour-salt mixture that you removed in step 2.. Combine using a spoon only until flour is moistened.
5. Add to the Crisco mixture and mix with a fork until dough follows fork around bowl & kind of forms a ball. Divide dough in half and shape into flattened rounds before rolling .
*Another hint that the twins gave me that made the whole process much,much easier was to purchase a pastry cloth with a frame, and a "sock" for your rolling pin. Often the frame or cloth will come with the "sock."
Good luck and don't give up! There is no comparison between a homemade crust and a store bought one!! Believe me, I was about to give up "way back when" but I'm glad that I didn't give in to the store bought crusts.