This is a new yarn exclusive to Michaels that comes in a nifty looking braid in hand selected Pantone color combinations. It is a 10 strand twisted yarn that is 60% Acrylic, 20% Nylon, 20% Merino Wool. It is only 127 yards in lengths, split between the colors, and is a #5 bulky rated for a size J (6mm) crochet hook. The feel is nice and soft, but it is a bit of a pain to work with as the strands tend to come apart while you crochet so you have to be careful you aren’t missing one of the 10 strands.
Before you can even start using it, you have to disassemble the braid to get 5 separate loops of yarn which you then have to roll into balls to use efficiently. This takes about 30 minutes if you are hand winding and requires a partner to hold the loops to avoid tangling. This may go faster if you have a ball winder and a swift would eliminate the need for help. Still, this is an annoying and time consuming step.
When you are finished with the separating and winding of the yarn, you will have 5 tiny little balls of around 25 yards each which basically look like leftover scraps rather than a new skein! There is barely enough in one to make a single hat and any larger project will require several of these to complete and lots of yarn changes. With a regular price of $9.99 here in Canada and $7.99 in the US, this is a very expensive yarn to use!
I really can’t think of a reason for anyone to want this, other than the attractive way it is packaged and not having to think about getting coordinated colors. Maybe colorblind people would find it useful? You can get a striping or variegated yarn that is all one piece that would still be color coordinated that would be longer and have no yarn changes, such as Caron Cakes. I really can’t recommend it.
I had to make a sample hat with it for work, which turned out pretty, but was a pain to make because of the way the yarn splits and the intricate color work pattern. The surprise was when I wet it to block it, it really stinks like a wet animal. Maybe the merino wool in it? It wasn’t this exact pattern, but similar. There was almost nothing left of the yarn when I finished.
Crochet with Cindy 