Susan Shildmyer falls in love easily and often.  Her husband doesn’t mind.  Susan sees a fiber, a color, or maybe even a button and her heart beats faster.  Her mind joins the rhythm of her heart and creation begins.  “On occasion,” Susan says, “ it’s not love at first sight; then I must become acquainted, pet it, listen to its voice before we bond and join forces in creation.”  As a designer, Susan often makes one-of-a-kind items and has created for such well known names as Bobby Jones, Talbots, The Gap, J. Crew, and more.  She’s well known in knitting circles across the country through her contributions to Vogue Knitting on the Go, Knit ‘n’ Style, and Creative Knitting.  Susan Shildmyer knows her way around fiber!

            Design isn’t the only love of Susan’s life.  She is deeply committed to keeping the fiber arts alive to current and future generations.  “Knitting satisfies two of life’s deepest needs:  functionality and adornment.  As with all crafts, knitting originated from a functional need—to produce warm garments from readily available materials.”  Functionality satisfied, a human’s natural need to express oneself artistically rises to the forefront.  Susan believes “the human spirit requires expression of creativity to preserve its essence and to maintain harmony and balance.”

            This balance made itself known in Susan’s life.  As her demanding corporate job required more of her energy and time, knitting became her saving grace.  Here she could let go of pragmatic demands and let her imagination soar.  The steady click and clack of her needles became the balm at the end of her day.  Today, in her “retirement”, Susan tilts the scale decidedly to the creative side.

            Susan takes her organizational and creative talents to the Board of the Heritage Craft Center in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.  “Unfortunately, in today’s fast paced, throw away society, people do not have the time nor need to ‘make it yourself.’  We purchase.  Thus, functionality is satisfied with little personal investment.”  Susan wonders what will happen to these age old production techniques that fuel the spirit as well if we don’t find a way to pass them on to new generations.  Heritage Craft Center strives to teach youngsters and oldsters how to create functional items; and how to find joy in completion of a project.  The soul shall be fed. 

     You can take advantage of Susan Shildmyer’s many talents by attending one or two of her classes at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, October 25^th and 26^th, in Berryville, VA.  She offers a way to use up your

old swatches:  Making a Sampler Tote.  Or, for newer knitters, you can learn basic stranded knitting by joining Susan in her Stranded Knitting class.  More information is available on these opportunities at www.shenandoahvalleyfiberfest.com

            Susan has her own studio in Gerrardstown, WV, where she takes an occasional private student.  Her goal is to become a national teacher so seize these local opportunities while she still has time to spare.  For more information on her creations, visit her website www.esysknits.com .