About Cardigans yarn and fiber shop

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For those of you who don’t know me… let me introduce myself: 

My name is Tim Cardy, I am the owner of Cardigans. I’ve been knitting, crocheting and doing a wide variety of fiber arts for over 50yrs, and teaching many of these techniques from craft to university level for over 30yrs.  

While at college in NYC, I had the privilege to study textile restoration at both the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In my travels I learned 6 types of Lace making in Burano, Italy (Venice) and bobbin/tape lace in Bruges.  I am the recipient of Masters degrees in late 19th and early 20th-century Handicraft and another in Fashion Design…and am well schooled in Knitting, Crochet and historical needlecraft...there  are very  few handicrafts I haven’t tried – especially fiber related!  

I have won of a number of fiber arts related awards and am a  competition winner in knitting, crochet, soft doll sculpture,  historical costume, fashion design, and felting.  

I have worked in the textile and fiber industry in yarn and upholstery weaving mills, was the fiber buyer for an upholstery fabric manufacturer, a few years at Levi-Strauss in SF, owned a small couturier & costume business and in college worked in the Dupont Textile research division in NYC. 

Many of you may have seen me selling my wearable fiber art, handmade carpet bags and felted bags/vessels at the Sunday Santa Barbara Arts and Crafts Show at the Beach and at other shows up and down the coast and in the desert.  I have worked professionally as a Fiber artist and a small manufacturer.  

You can also find some of my historical costume reproduction work in permanent museum and private gallery collections. 

I am originally from the East Coast via New York, San Francisco & Los Angeles and call beautiful Santa Barbara, CA home.  I have been teaching fiber techniques throughout the US and regularly guest lecture at a  number of colleges and universities throughout California.

Dear Cardigans Family and friends,

The Covid pandemic has placed great stress and financial difficulty on most small businesses around the world, Cardigans Knit Shop is not an exception. 

I have been doing my best to keep the shop afloat but with supply chain issues combined with rising inventory costs, operational costs and slow sales, it is unfortunately time for Cardigans Knit Shop to close its physical doors.

After 5 years as owner and solely running the shop for the past 2½ years, I am taking a break to clear my head and take care of my well-being. Cardigans is going on hiatus for a few months and will be returning with a new ONLINE face and local opportunities to gather our Cardigans family together. 

Upon our revival, I am excited to be able to present new products, new project bags, new fun imprint items, Cardi-kits, your favorite lines of yarns and much more. I am hoping to be able to present regular meetings of “Cardi-clinics” (for pattern and knitting/crochet help), monthly Cardiclub get togethers at a variety of venues and eventually trunkshow parties from my great suppliers. Of course, classes, knit-a-longs and private lessons will be back.

We officially closed the little blue door Saturday, September 17, 2023. All yarn and notions were discounted at 30% off, all books and coned rayon yarn discounted at 50%off. Fixtures, furniture and display items were also  for sale 

Thank you all for your patronage and loyalty, it’s been a fun and challenging run.  I am overwhelmed with the love, support and the many friendships that have bloomed over these past 5 years. 

Love to all of you, Tim