Superwash Wool vs. Non Treated wool

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, also teaching many of these techniques from craft to university level for over 30yrs.   I have been the recipient of a number of fiber arts related awards and a  competition winner in knitting, crochet, soft doll sculpture,  historical costume, fashion design, and felting.  I am also the owner of Masters degrees in late 19th and early 20th-century Handicraft and another in Fashion Design…there  are few handicrafts I haven’t tried – especially fiber related!

I have worked in the textile and fiber industry in both yarn and upholstery weaving mills, was the fiber buyer for an upholstery fabric manufacturer, a few years at Levi-Strauss and worked in the Dupont Textile research division 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. I learned 6 types of Lace making in Burano, Italy (Venice) and bobbin/tape lace in Bruges.  

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.  I have worked professionally  both as Fiber artist and Fiber Artisan.  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 have been here in beautiful Santa Barbara for about 17yrs.  I have been teaching fiber techniques throughout the US and regularly guest lecture at a  number of colleges and universities throughout California.