Maria Muscarella began her career in the field of holistic medicine as a nurse-herbalist creating remedies, teaching herbal medicine, and running an herbal clinic & apothecary. Maria picked up knitting as a hobby in the early years of her profession and her love of all things wooly steered her down the career path to fiber arts. Her making is naturally influenced by her love of the gardens and woods that surround her home, and her passion for herbal medicine led her to experiment with natural dyes and ecoprinting. Maria owned and operated a naturally dyed yarn business and currently teaches ecoprinting and natural dyeing at fiber studios and retreats. She is the dyer, teacher, podcaster, and knitwear designer behind Ninja Chickens. Maria’s ecoprinting and knitwear designs have been featured in Laine, RIB, and 6 Bits Storybooks magazines. She is also the author of the children’s book Giants in the Clouds. Maria lives with her husband, two kids, and a menagerie of animals in the mountains of North Carolina. She spends her days working with yarn and herbs in a handbuilt, 16-sided house. You can follow her adventures at Ninjachickens.org