I first noticed Nest Fiber Studio’s fibers on Laura Linneman’s Instagram feed. I know Laura has great taste in fiber, so I bought myself some BFL try.

Here’s what I bought:

Dyer: Nest Fiber Studio
Fiber: Mixed BFL
Prep: Commercial Top
Colorway: Chasing Deer

I split the braid in two lengthwise and spun it as a low-twist singles on my Schacht Matchless, using my WooLee Winder.

The fiber was soft, with less sheen and a shorter staple than some BFL I’ve spun lately. It was treated so well and gently in the dying process that it wasn’t compacted at all. I shook it and spun, I didn’t even have to unroll the edges of the fiber.

Spinning BFL woolen is my happy place. Because BFL has a longer staple than many wools, it’s easy and relaxing to spin it with a lower twist.

I have to mention again how nice and lofty the fiber was, I didn’t run into one area where it was stuck together. I find fiber this well prepared and handled rarely.

The colors are wonderfully moody, and she has really utilized the darker stripes in the mixed BFL. She incorporates it into the colorway instead of just using them to darken the colors, you can see it particularly in the gold and green.

The fiber is dyed in a regular pattern with short to medium color lengths. The colors range from solid to semi solids in spots. This creates depth to the yarn, places where it is deeply a color and places where the original fiber color almost peeks through. I had no dye leakage when I finished my yarn.

I knit a quick swatch, and steamed it on the needles. I’m not sure if I want to knit with this yarn or weave with it.

The knitted fabric is lush, the BFL is silky and has great drape (which makes me want to weave with it), and I really like the visual play of the semi solid places in the color. It’s rich and textural, something that’s impossible to get when a yarn is dyed after it’s spun.