About Tim Cardy
ME
About Tim Cardy
Hi — I’m Tim Cardy: lifelong fiber obsessive, unapologetic thread hoarder, and the mildly overqualified founder of a handmade empire built one stitch (and one questionable impulse buy) at a time.
Why trust me with your yarn life
- 50+ years tangled in fiber and textiles
- 30+ years teaching everyone from brand-new stitchers to serious makers
- Advanced degrees in historical fashion + decorative handcrafts
- Professional experience spanning:
- Yarn mills & upholstery sourcing
- Fashion costing (yes, really)
- R&D textile work
- Conservation/restoration, research (Met + V&A-level nerdiness)
- Yarn mills & upholstery sourcing
My philosophy
I take fiber seriously. Myself? Not even a little.
Every yarn is hand-picked. Every vendor is side-eyed for quality and ethics.
If you’re knitting your first garter stitch or hiding skeins in your laundry basket… we see you. And we approve.
We've Moved and brought the good stuff!
TimCardy Studio, Tudor Cottage Handcraftory, Cardigans Kits, and YARN SB are now inside Sew Santa Barbara — Santa Barbara’s Bernina dealership + fabric paradise.
Find these brands in one place
- YARN SB — curated yarns, hand-painted colorways, excellent notions
- Tudor Cottage Handcraftory — project bags + accessories in upholstery/leather/canvas
- TimCardy.com — witty imprint bags, cards, and handcrafted chaos
- Cardigans Kits — locally designed kits for knitting, crochet & embroidery
- Classes with Tim — sewing, upcycling, knit/crochet, pattern help, and more