This alpaca dance yarn, in my opinion, is great, depending in how you use it.
It is recommended to be used with a size 7 crochet hook, which I believe measures out as a 4 or a 4.5 mm but honestly this yarn is VERY thin. You could easily crochet this with a 3 or 3.5, which I have done.
The pattern I have been using it for calls for a 5mm hook. The first one I used single strand, the project came out a great success but I learned some things about this yarn along the way.
When crocheting with a single strand, you must be extremely careful not to make mistakes because if you have to pull out stitches then the fuzzies on the yarn will ensnarl amongst themselves and you will be spending two or three times longer than usual pulling out stitches. I have even had to sit with tiny scissors meticulously snipping stray tangled fuzzies to get the yarn untangled from itself.
However, if you double the yarn, use two strands instead of one, if you make a mistake and have to pull out stitches you will not get fuzzy twists and knots whatsoever, and you can more successfully create projects that call for a larger hook size.
The second and third projects I have made using the pattern with this yarn I have double stranded using the 5 mm crochet hook and it comes out amazing, thick, and lustrous.
This yarn is only 25% alpaca, the other 75% being acrylic, which is a bummer if you are looking for a large percentage of alpaca but all in all it has a great feel to it.
In my experience I have used the midnight black, custard, new rust, lake blue and the aqua splash. The custard colored yarn I have used, three different skeins, have all been considerably the thinnest, fuzziest and most difficult to manipulate, the colored yarns have been slightly thicker and the black is by far the thickest and simplest to work with. I am not sure why these differences occur, but that is my experience.
Overall, I really enjoy the finished product these yarns are made into and I strongly recommend you use double strands on a size 5mm hook or slightly larger for optimum crocheting experience. These sell at Joanns for over six dollars per skein, so between 4 dollars and change to 5 and change I haven't been able to beat this price online, and I have looked. Most stores don't even carry it and if they did it sure wouldn't be this price.
This skein is also about 370 yards and in my opinion, you cant beat that either. I find it worth it even if you do decide to double up your skeins. With double strands On a 5mm crochet hook I get 64 rows on 56 single crochets a piece.
I also suggest blending colors, such as foxy and new rust, or blueberry and lake blue, or off white and custard, or whatever you think best, specifically if you choose to double your strands. The natural and mellow colors that these yarns are made with make for beautiful products and gifts, in my opinion. I will continue to use this yarn for various projects, for example, scarves, hats, sweaters and gloves.
I very much hope this is helpful for anyone interested in buying this yarn, I have very much enjoyed learning to work with it.
