Hello, I am Cynthia, the owner and dyer of Nightingale Fibers.

I learned to knit from my loving mother when I was about seven. She even ran a 4-H group called Knitters of the Round Table (because of the extra-large round table we had in our dining room growing up). I knitted on and off through high school and college. In graduate school, I started an afghan (that I never finished) but it inspired me to begin knitting again. After graduate school, working as a Nurse Midwife, I knit more regularly, expanding my skill level, and collecting wonderful yarns including stunning yarns from indie dyers.

In 2008, I took a dying and spinning workshop at Harrisville Designs from Lynne Vogel. We dyed roving during that workshop, but I was soon also dying yarn at home. And so was born, Nightingale Fibers. Just as I loved seeing a new baby born, I love seeing what comes out of my dye pots.

The yarn and fiber are dyed in my home workspace with professional grade dyes. I am mindful of my impact on the environment and recycle water throughout the dying process as much as possible. All dyes are fully exhausted before any water leaves the dye pot. Everything is rinsed after dying to remove any excess dye, but there is always a chance of a small amount of bleeding of dye with the most intense colors.

When I am not knitting or dying yarn, you can find me in my garden or taking long walks. I love wine, craft beer and the rocky shoreline of Maine.

I am helped and encouraged in this endeavor by my husband, David. He drives the trailer and helps with set up at fiber festivals, you will see him manning the checkout (he can even answer knitting related questions!). You can also thank him for timely shipment of your orders.

 

Nightingale Fibers
131 Francestown Road
Greenfield, NH 03047

603-547-6645

Yarn Base Library

Here are descriptions of our various yarn bases.

Our yarns are named after nurses who have made contributions to the health of people worldwide and influenced my nursing practice for over 45 years.

Lace Weight

                    Gayle

                              Size: 459 yds. 50 gm (1.8 oz)

                              Content: 64% Kid Mohair/ 36% Silk, single ply

                              Care Instructions: Hand wash cool water, lay flat to dry.

                              Fiber Origin: Mohair is sourced from South Africa. Silk is produced in China.

                              Gayle Lee (1939-2008) was a pioneer in Hospice care and patient advocacy, she founded the first Cancer Support Team in New York in 1978.

 

Fingering Weight (Gauge: Fingering 7-8 st/in knitted on US 1-3 (2.25-3.25 mm), 6-8 st/in crocheted on US B-E)

                    Eddie

                              Size: 430 yds/100 gms (3.5 oz)

                              Content: 50% superwash Merino/50% Silk, 4-ply

                              Care Instructions: Hand wash cool water, lay flat to dry.

                               Fiber Origin: Superwash Merino is sourced from South America and is from farms that do not practice mulesing, it is superwash treated in Europe. Silk is produced in China.

                               Eddie Bernice Johnson (1935-2023) was the first nurse elected to Congress. She represented the state of Texas and was a champion of minority and women’s rights.

                    Ernestine

                              Size: 400 yds/100 gms (3.5 oz)

                              Content: 80% Superwash Merino/20% Nylon, 2-ply

                              Care Instructions: May be machine washed, hand washing in cool water is recommended, lay flat to dry.

                               Fiber Origin: Superwash Merino is sourced from South America from farms that do not practice mulesing, it is superwash treated in Europe. Nylon is produced in Germany.

                               Ernestine Weidenbach (1900-1986) was a Nurse Midwife and leader in Maternal Infant Nursing.

                    Margaret

                              Size: 420 yards/ 115 gms (4 oz)

                               Content: Non-superwash Merino, 4-ply

                               Care Instructions: Hand wash in cool water, lay flat to dry.

                               Fiber Origin: This Merino is produced in United States

                               Margaret Sanger (1879-1966) was a nurse and advocate for women’s reproductive rights.

                    Nola

                               Size: 400 yds/100 gms (3.5 oz)

                               Content: Superwash Merino, 2-ply

                               Care Instructions: May be machine washed and dried.

                               Fiber Origin: This Merino is produced and superwash treated in United States

                               Nola Pender (1941-     ) is a nursing theorist and developed the Health Promotion Model of Nursing.

                    Patricia

                              Size: 464 yds/100 gms (3.5 oz)

                              Content: 75% Bluefaced Leicester/25% Nylon, 4-ply

                              Care Instructions: May be machine washed, but hand washing in cool water is recommended, lay flat to dry.

                              Fiber Origin: Bluefaced Leicester is a British wool, and comes from farms throughout UK, it is superwash treated in the UK. Nylon comes from Germany.

                              Patricia Benner (1942 –      ) is the author of “From Novic to Expert: Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice”.

Sport Weight

                    Madeleine

                              Size: 325 yds/100 gms (3.5 oz)

                             Content: Superwash Merino, 3-ply

                             Care Instructions: May be machine washed and dried.

                             Fiber Origin: Merino comes from South America from farms that do not practice mulesing, it is superwash treated in Europe.

                             Madeleine Leininger (1925-2012) was a nurse theorist who developed the concept of transcultural nursing care.

                    Martha

                              Size: 287 yds/100 gms (3.5 oz)

                             Content: 80% Baby Alpaca/ 20% Silk, 4-ply

                             Care Instructions: Hand wash in cool water, lay flat to dry.

                             Fiber Origin: Alpaca is sourced from the Peruvian Andes. Silk is produced in China.

                             Martha Rogers (1914-1994) was a nurse researcher whose work focused on improving nursing education and practice in the United States.

 

Worsted Weight

                    Jean

                              Size:  280 Ysa/ 115 gms (4 oz)

                              Content: Targhee Wool, non-superwash, 3-ply

                              Care Instructions: Hand wash in cool water, lay flat to dry.

                              Fiber Origin: Targhee wool is grown and processed in the United States

                               Jean Watson (1940-      ) is a Nurse Theorist who developed the Theory of Human Caring: “Nursing is concerned with promoting health, preventing illness, caring for the sick and restoring health.”

 

Bulky Weight

                    Clara

                              Size:  106 yds/100 gms (3.5 oz)

                              Content: Superwash Merino, 3-ply

                              Care Instructions: May be machine washed, but hand washing in cool water is recommended, lay flat to dry.

                              Fiber Origin: Merino is sourced from South America from farms that do not practice mulesing, it is superwash treated in Europe.

                              Clara Barton (1821-1912) was a pioneering American nurse who founded the American Red Cross.