Mary C. Gildersleeve — Design-Artist
OWNER: By Hand, With Heart…hand-knit designs (1997 – present)
• self-employed as a professional knitwear designer: self-publishing original designs, creating designs for yarn companies and other knitting outlets, and custom/production knitting of original designs
• created and maintain web-site – www.marygildersleeve.com (April 2011-present)
• created and maintained knitting blog: http://livingknitting.blogspot.com (2005-April 2011)
• created and maintained web-site for By Hand, With Heart…hand-knit designs — www.byhandwithheart.com (1997-2001)

AUTHOR:
• In His Image: Nurturing Creativity in the Heart of Your Home, Hillside Publishing, Spring 2009
• Great Yarns for the Close-Knit Family: Over two dozen original hand-knit designs inspired by one dozen fantastic family read-alouds, Hillside Publishing, Spring 2008
• Glory of America Knits!, Ecce Homo Press, August 2004

EXCLUSIVE DESIGNER: designs for Spring Gate Farms (Barboursville, Virginia), producers of championship cashmere goats and fiber (Fall 2010 thru present)

PUBLISHED DESIGNER (excluding self-published designs):
• “Lovin’ Winter Walks” jacket – Cast ON! Winter 2012
• “I Heart Tams” tam – Cast ON! Summer 2011
• “Siesta Salsa” pillows – Fresh Designs: Home – (publication scheduled for Summer 2011)
• “The Edison Twins: Ellie and Eddie” – Fresh Designs: Toys – (publication scheduled for Summer 2011)
• “Pippi’s Sun-sational Top” — More Knitting in the Sun
• “Viking Hoodie” – Cast ON! Spring 2011
• Shokay Design Circle – Amber Waves of Grain Shawl – Fall 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Victoria’s Tee – April 2011
• Knit Picsk IDP – I Heart Austria vest and cap – February 2011
• Knit Picks IDP – Cabled Cottage Cozies – January 2011
• Knit Picks IDP – My Favorite Sweatshirt and Mitts – December 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Fun, Felted Saddlebag – October 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Celtic Closure – September 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Memories of Eire – August 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Patrick: An Irish Lad’s Jacket – August 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Rib Tickler Hoodie – August 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Season-spanning Cardi – May 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Elegant Eliza – March 2010
• Knit Picks IDP – Completely Cozy & Reversible Scarf for Him – March 2010
• “Norwegian Mail Bag” – Cast ON!, Fall 2008
• “Eyelet Shruglet” – 101 Designer: One-Skein Wonders, Storey Publishing, October 2007
• “Mexicali Baby Ole” – Babies & Toddlers: A Knitter’s Dozen, XRX Publishing, March 2007
• “Pastel Entrelac Rug” – Cast On!, Spring 2005
• “Ludwig the Lamb in his Lederhosen” – INKnitters , Summer 2003
• “Mexicali Baby Ole!” – Knitters (XRX, Inc), Summer 2003
• “Swedish Sweatshirt” – INKnitters, Spring 2003
• “Feather Lace Cardigan” – House of White Birches, www.epatternscentral.com, January 2003
• “Star of the Show – Dress and Leggings” – The Complete Knitting Collection, #127166-2002
• “Trellis Lace Cardigan” – Knitting Digest, July 2002
• “Bunny and Me” toy and matching toddler sweater – Knitting Digest, May 2002
• “Diamondback” Man’s Tweed Vest – Vogue Knitting on the Go: VESTS, copyright 2001
• “Knitting Quintuplets” – The Complete Knitting Collection, #127156 – 2002
• “Beach Baby Onesy” – Lion Brand Yarns, Volume X-2001 (cover design, #1106)
• “Casual Vest” – Lion Brand Yarns, Volume X-2001 (#1112A)
• “Jiffy Back Pack” – Free Pattern Leaflet from Lion Brand, Winter 2000
• “Country Blues” knit vest — Crafts ‘n Things, February 1998
• “Cotton Candy” sweater — Crafts ‘n Things, August 1997

DESIGNER — Purchased, Pending Publication:
• “Baby’s Flight Jacket” – Lion Brand Yarns
• “Beach Blanket Bag” – Lion Brand Yarns

CHARITY KNITTING:
• Established and ran a knitting and crochet group to make articles for BirthRight of Greenville – St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Spring 2005 – Spring 2006

TEACHER:
• SPRING GATE FARM’s “Getting Cozy with Cashmere” (Barboursville, VA) – November 11-12, 2011 – “Cashmere Jewelry”, “Charting Lace Stitches”, “Tips, Tricks and Techniques – what works and doesn’t with cashmere”
• FALL FIBER FESTIVAL (Montpelier, VA) — October 2, 2011 — “stump the chump” — a chance for attendees to ask any knitterly questions they might have, get advice and suggestions, and generally talk knitting from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• SHENANDOAH VALLEY FIBER FEST (Berryville, VA) – September 24-25, 2011 – “Fiber: not just for breakfast anymore”; “Dream It … Design It”; “Tips, Tricks and Techniques – what the knitting books don’t tell you”
• DOG HOUSE YARNS (Culpeper, VA) – June 25, 2011 – (postponed) “Charts – A picture really is worth a thousand words!”
• OLDE LIBERTY FIBRE FAIRE, Bedford, Virginia April 16, 2011 – “Short Rows” and “Substituting Yarns”
• DOG HOUSE YARNS 1st ANNUAL KNITTING RETREAT, Graves Mountain, Virginia April 9, 2011 – “The Ins and Outs of Substituting This for That” (main speaker); breakout sessions in the afternoon: “Short Rows” and “Tips and Techniques”
• KNITTING SEMINAR, Manassas, Virginia October 2009: “Do Not Be Afraid – Knitting is FUN!”
• KNITTING RETREAT, Virginia Dale, Colorado October 2007: “In the Spirit of Design – A Knitting Retreat”
• KNITTING CO-OP, Denver, Colorado – Spring 2007: Beginning Knitting to home schooled students ages 7-adult
• KNITTING CO-OP, Greenville, South Carolina – Fall 2004-Spring 2005: Beginning Knitting to home schooled students ages 7-12
• KNITTING SEMINARS, Gaming, Austria – Spring 2003: Beginning Knitting, Cables and Sweater Design, Advanced Knitting — Knitting Techniques and Tips
• KNITTING 101 Elective, OUR LADY OF LOURDES School, Raleigh, North Carolina — Spring 2000: Beginning Knitting for middle-school students, wrote teacher’s manual, how-to book for students and special designs for use in class

KNITTING SHOP Work:
• Dog House Yarns (Culpeper, VA) – June 2011 – present – part-time sales and teaching assistant in a privately owned knitting shop. Duties include: sales, chatting with customers, teaching and answering knitting-related questions, swatch/sample knitting.

KNITTING WRITER:
• reviews of knitting books and resources on my website: www.marygildersleeve.com and my former blog: livingknitting.blogspot.com
• Software Review: “Hassle free Stitch and Motif Designing” – Professional Knitwear Designers Guild Newsletter, February 2004
• Software Review: “Math Challenged? Knitting Math Wizard” – Professional Knitwear Designers Guild Newsletter, June 2003
• “Designing from Abroad” – Professional Knitwear Designers Guild Newsletter, April 2003
• Book Review: “Heirloom Knitting” – Professional Knitwear Designers Guild Newsletter, December 2002
• “Design Ideas When You’re Stumped – Review of On-Line Groups”, Professional Knitwear Designers Guild Newsletter, August 2002
• “Sock Wizard is Coming!”, Professional Knitwear Designers Guild Newsletter, June 2002
• “How to Adapt Knitting for a Great Family Tradition”, The Needle Nook (Complete Knitting Collection Newsletter – 27), Spring 2002
• “Knitting in An Austrian Village”, Professional Knitwear Designers Guild Newsletter, February 2002
• “SCD Seminar Changes Lives”, SCD Newsletter, July-August 1996
• “Review of The Needlecrafter’s Copmputer Companion”, Computer Designers’ Newsletter, July 1996

PROFESSIONAL KNITTER:
• Winter 1999 – present: sample squares for “Great Wall of Yarn”, TNNA Trade Shows
• 1998-200: production knitter: hand-knitted articles for “trunk shows”, K1C2, LLC

COMPETITITVE DESIGNER:
• The Knitting Guild Association’s 2004 NATIONAL CONVENTION, Atlanta, Georgia (April 2004): finalist, Children’s Wear category – HEIRLOOM HEARTS Baby Set
• The Knitting Guild Association’s 2001 NATIONAL CONVENTION, Branson, Missouri (March 2001):finalist, Children’s Wear category – WEAVING RAINBOWS
• Entries, North Carolina State Fair 2000: awarded 2nd Place Ribbon – Men’s Vest (original design)
• Entries, North Carolina State Fair 1999:
o awarded 2nd Place Ribbon — Fisherman-Man’s Sweater (original design)
o awarded 2nd Place Ribbon — Cotton Sweater (original design)
o awarded 3rd Place Ribbon — Baby 2-piece set (original design)

KNITTING EDUCATION –
• Completed 1st Level, TKGA’s Masters Hand-Knitting Program – August 1996
• Attended Knitting Seminars/Conventions and Other Craft Industry Meetings, including:
• In the Spirit of Creativity: A Knitting Retreat 2006, Virginia Dale, Colorado
• TKGA Annual Convention 2001, Branson, Missouri
• TKGA-S.E. Regional Convention 2000, Orlando, Florida
• Camp Iwannaknit 1999, Fort Wayne Indiana
• HIA Press Day 1996, New York, New York
• ACCI Convention 1996, Chicago, Illinois (including completion of “Professional Craft Artisan Program”)
• Society of Craft Designers Annual Convention 1996, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Stitches East 1995, Arlington, Virginia
• 1st Annual TKGA Convention 1985, Dallas, Texas
• Consistent/constant reading, research and technique-building on the craft of Knitting since self-taught at the age of 8.

Formal EDUCATION –
• Masters of Business Administration (concentration in Marketing Research) — College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia – June 1988
• Bachelor of Arts (major in Print Journalism with minors in Business and English) — Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington June 1983

PERSONAL INFORMATION:
• Active Roman Catholic
• Married, mother of 5; homeschooling the school-age children
• Experienced journalistic writer – both knitting and non-knitting publications
• Self-taught Knitter (aged 8), designer since age 12
• Experienced at web-page design and web-page maintenance
• Extensive computer-oriented work experience