I have been wanting to meet Ann Smith, an amazing and prolific sewist, for a long time now.
I first became aware of Ann when I returned to sewing (two years ago) because of her excellent reviews on Pattern Review. She and I love many of the same patterns and her versions are wonderful - she has a special ability to match patterns to fabric and to style her outfits in wonderful ways. I also soon became aware of (blogless) Dorothy K on PR, thanks to her excellent reviews. I managed to meet Dorothy in person, and a more lovely person you can't imagine, but she's so chic and stylish too. She's only been sewing for five years, and I don't think she ever has to alter a pattern, but I forgive her totally. Well, mostly.
Dorothy and Ann are longtime friends so Dorothy arranged for us to shop together when Ann was in town a couple months ago. On the day we were scheduled to get together, I came down with the plague and they were forced to shop and eat without me. I would have been more upset had I not spent most of the day in a near-coma.
Dorothy arranged another get together recently and this time, it all came together. Meeting Ann was like meeting someone I already knew. The three of us had a great day together, all arranged by Dorothy - she even fed us an amazing meal, while sporting her cool Sewing Workshop Tamari Apron. (I really do forgive her.) Later, we made it to the sale at Thai Silks and did a bit of nearby snoop shopping
One of our big topics of conversation was the task of taking good photographs for pattern reviews. We all find it challenging and I shared that when I recently met my blogging friends back east, they went on for a considerable length of time at how I look better in person than in my photos. A colleague once told me that I don't even look the same as I do in my photos, but that I look good in my photos. Huh? Given that I work hard to take the best photos possible, I am not sure what to make of these comments. :)
But all in all, it was a perfect day.
There are no pictures of all three of us, because someone had to take the photos. I didn't even think to bring my camera, but luckily Ann had hers, no doubt planning to capture the shenanigans of her grandbabies. You know, I forgive her too. ;)
Ann is enjoying Dorothy's spread. Dorothy and husband grew most of the salad fixings.
Me and Dorothy
Oh you lucky puppies!!! (All 3 of you!) 3 of my favorite reviewers all together! Sounds like a delightful time. And yes, I admit to a bit of jealousy! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI am SOOOOOOO jealous! I've wanted to meet Ann for like forever...she is one of my sewing sheros! Back when I started my blog, I wrote a post about wanting to sit and sew with her in her awesome sewing room.
ReplyDeleteAnd what I said was that your personality doesn't come through in your photos. You are so vibrant and sparkly in real life and that is not apparent in your photos...but you're getting better! *LOL*
Glad y'all had a good time even if I wasn't there!
Carolyn
Diary of a Sewing Fanatic
Thanks for your clarification, Carolyn, but I've heard comments from others too. :) I have never been photogenic, so I do think it is a process and I am getting better with the camera. The top photo happened because Ann and I each felt that that was our best camera angle, so we did the Broadway pose. :D
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful for all three of you to get together like that. I will stifle my jealous remarks :-) and content myself with looking at what fun you had.
ReplyDeleteAbout the pictures-we sew, we blog, we develop community etc...we aren't models, nor should we be. It is a pleasure to look at "regular" photographs, which are not too staged. I can fit myself into them more easily. Your blog is lovely-don't worry about the photo comments!
I must jump in and say that we indeed have a great time together. Dorothy does everything with such style including lunch. It was so beautiful we had to take photos of the food. Shams may think she is not photogenic but the truth is she is so dynamic and fun in person that it is hard to capture that in a photo. Her energy fills the air around her. I look forward to the next get together, perhaps at our favorite fabrix store.
ReplyDeleteOh, you are so lucky! These two ladies jumped out at me as well when I first started looking at Pattern Review and many of the things they sewed, I too added to my wish list.
ReplyDeleteWow, best-dressed sewing-blogger-meetup ever!
ReplyDeleteAnd what *I* said was that though you look incredibly attractive and vivacious in your pictures, in person you are LOVELY -- truly pretty in a way that is uncommon, and, oddly, doesn't exactly translate in digital.
BOTH states are enviable! You look wonderful in your photos, and a different kind of wonderful in person.
Not to mention that you sew (and design) like a goddess; I mean, what's there to worry about???!
What a great post. :-)
ReplyDeleteI don't think you have much to worry about concerning photos, but: I find that the angle is very important - I have plenty of bad angels, I must say. :-) Have you tired a large tripod and start low, take a picture, raise it two inches, take another, raise two inches, take another and so on. That way you may find a "best angle" and go from there.
What fun! But what were each of you wearing? Which pattern? Is it reviewed on PR? I too follow the three of you on PR and aspire to mimic your styles.
ReplyDeletelol, Martha. Dorothy has posted her Fajita skirt on PR and her Tamari apron. Ann hasn't yet posted her Tilton swing top, but I'm sure she will. I'm not sure what pants she is wearing. I have posted my Loes Hinse Cruise pants with the circle pocket - my top is RTW. I also wore my Au Bonheur red/black raincoat and took my Tilton hobo purse, but both were hanging in the entryway. :)
ReplyDeleteNo doubt about the photos. I am also not photogenic - and I know I look a lot better in person than in photos... I often wonder what that is, in some of us it's very much the case that our personalities animate our looks so much that a static photograph just doesn't cut it. I've been taking a lot more photos of me lately (getting my husband to do it really) because of the sewing and I've just decided.... well, whatever. I look how I look on the camera......
ReplyDelete