Fiddlesticks Eddy Review
It’s time for a close look at Fiddlesticks Eddy Yarn!
The good and the bad.
As always, this is just my personal opinion!
The hard facts:
Composition: Cotton / Acrylic blend (check your ball band for exact percentages as they may vary slightly depending on batch)
Construction: Twisted gradient cake
Weight: 220 g cake
Length: (varies by cake – check label)
Size: Fingering / 4ply style cake yarn
Range: 16 colourways
Colour transition: Slow gradient
Cake style: Can be worked from the centre or the outside
My Opinion
I recently worked with Fiddlesticks Eddy and I have to say… I really enjoyed it.
This yarn feels like a very welcome option for those of us who love gradient cakes, but want something a little different from the usual go-to’s like Scheepjes Whirl.
And honestly… being in Australia, finding decent cake yarns that don’t require selling a kidney to cover shipping costs is becoming a bit of a hobby in itself.
With the changes in availability of certain overseas yarn brands (and yes, I’m looking directly at you, Hobbii), it’s nice to find a yarn that still gives that smooth gradient-cake experience without the drama.
The cakes come in a 220g size (990 mts / 1082 yds.) which is a great amount to work with, and I love that you can choose to pull from either the centre or the outside of the cake depending on your preference.
Because we all know… some cakes behave beautifully from the centre, and some cakes turn into a yarn bar fight.
Thankfully, Eddy behaved.
I used this yarn to create my Pistachio Dragonfly Scarf, and it was a really enjoyable yarn to work with from start to finish.
Auburncraft Crochet Design CEO - Stella - Approved.
I used a 3.5mm hook, which is my go-to size for yarn cakes of this type, and it worked beautifully.
One thing I really liked was the colour flow. The transitions felt smooth and well-balanced, and the gradient change was pleasing without any sudden “wait… what just happened?” moments.
For:
Lovely to work with
This yarn was smooth, pleasant, and didn’t feel like it was constantly trying to fight my hook. I always take that as a good sign.
A great alternative to Scheepjes Whirl style cakes
If you love the gradient cake look but want another option in your yarn cupboard, this is a very handy one to know about.
Great stitch definition
The stitch work came up clean and clear, which is exactly what you want when your pattern has detail (especially dragonfly detail!). The Pistachio Dragonfly Scarf came out beautifully.
Good for Aussie crocheters
We are at the bottom of the world and shipping costs can be absolutely brutal. So finding yarns that are accessible here (and don’t cost more in postage than the yarn itself) is a win.
220g cakes are a great size
Not too small, not ridiculously oversized, and enough to make you feel like you’re getting somewhere when you start a project.
Work from centre or outside
This is always a bonus, because everyone has a preference — and some of us like to pretend we’re organised by choosing the “correct” end.
Against:
Only 16 colours available
This is probably the biggest downside for me. The yarn itself is lovely, but the colour range is a bit limited.
Sixteen colourways is fine… but it’s also just enough to make you want more.
Because once you find a cake yarn you enjoy working with, suddenly you want it in every mood:
soft pastels, bold brights, moody jewel tones, dramatic dark fades… the whole lot.
So yes. More colours please, Fiddlesticks. And definately MORE purple!
Overall:
A really enjoyable yarn to work with, and a great alternative gradient cake option for Aussie crocheters.
If the colour range expands in the future, this could become an absolute staple yarn for people who love the gradient cake style but need something more accessible here in Australia.
And honestly… anything that gives me “Whirl vibes” without the stress of hunting down overseas stock deserves a place in my yarn cupboard.
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Yarnart Flowers Review
It’s time for a close look at Yarnart Flowers! The good and bad. This is of course just my personal opinion!
The hard facts:
Composition: 55% Cotton, 45% Acrylic.
Contruction: Soft Twisted
Weight: 250 g (8.8 oz)
Great Stitch Definition
Length: 1000 m (1093 yds)
Size: Fingering 4ply
Range: 50 Plus?
Colour transition: Slow gradien
My Opinion
I used Yarnart Flowers for the first time recently and was pleasantly surprised.
I chose colour 271. The outside of this is a soft grey which transitions to soft blue and then all the way to deep blue.
I selected a 3.5mm hook and felt for me this worked well.
I turned this one cake of Yarnart Flowers into a large mandala style wall hanging- Dragonflies for Dee Wall Hanging.
Very little was left from the one cake.
For:
This yarn was very suitable for the project I produced and gave a lovely definition of stitch work.
For me (being an Aussie and living at the bottom end of the world) yarn cost can be a factor as shipping from overseas can cost A LOT!
This is an affordable option and I can’t fault the end look. I produced 3 wall hangings from the same pattern using 3 different yarns. The Yarnart Flowers stood amongst its peers, head held high and at a fraction of the cost. The other yarns used being Scheepjes Whirl and Hobbii Sultan Deluxe.
Similar to other cake yarns, you can work from the centre of the cake or the outside.
My crochet hook is always the first to complain if a yarn is difficult to work with. Not a peep was heard from my trusty 3.5mm hook during the design process. Well in truth the hook did yell at me a few times when I made a silly error, but that doesn’t really count, does it?
This yarn is classified as a Fingering weight. Maybe it is just me but I find the clasification of yarns can be really broad. I look at some yarns and think ‘What trickery is this? So they are trying to tell me this yarn that is almost as thick as my arm, is a dk weight? I think not!”
Yarnart Flowers is thicker than Scheepjes Whirl, but slightly thinner than Hobbii Sultan Deluxe.
I am yet to use this yarn for shawls or blankets but I will get to that one day, if I live long enough. Then I may update this review.
As to the colour range, I am yet to fully discover just how many colours are available I have so far counted 50. I have not, as yet found a site that could give me a complete view of the range. Everyone who stocks this yarn seems to have selected the colours they wish to stock. So it varies from seller to seller.
.Against:
Now please remember these are my own personal gripes and what bugs me may not bother anyone else!
I can’t say I have any real gripes about this yarn other than personal ones.
For me personally it is a bit hit and miss, trying to get the colour cake in the colour required. And no, I will not move to Turkey (where this is manufactured) to achieve ease of shipping and access.
It is just as well that there seems to be a broad range of colours in this yarn, as I really am not a fan of a number of the colour cakes. Way too much use of green for me. But there are plenty of cakes to choose from to try and avoid the dreadful greens.
Overall:
Affordable and pleasant to work with.
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P.S. Yes I did make one of those wall hangings in Turquoise Whirl. It’s not green, It’s Turquoise which is slightly better than green. I made this as a gift and chose the colour to suit!
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Stylecraft Special DK- Review
The yellow (Citron) is currently being used for an embossed blanket I’m working on. The lavender ball actually arrived by accident — I thought it was a different shade when I ordered it — but it’s still a lovely colour.
Today I am putting Stylecraft Special Dk under the microscope and looking at the good and bad. This is of course just my personal opinion! *This page may contains affiliate links. Click on the photographs to be taken to the crochet designs shown on this page. Links to purchase can then be found.
The hard facts:
Length: 295m (323yds)
Size: 8ply Dk Weight
Range: At the time of writing this 111 colours available
Remembering Grandma Bed Runner
My Opinion
For
Stylecraft Special DK Yarn Review
For
Stylecraft Special DK is an acrylic yarn that is an affordable option for lovers of crochet. While this yarn has had its moments over the years with different manufacturers, including some quality slips and supply issues due to the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, it has remained a widely used and accessible yarn.
I have used this yarn numerous times for designs such as the RemChasing Rainbows Finding Tulips Blanket, embering Grandma Bed Runner and The Flower Patch Blanket. I am at present using it in the colour Citron (1263) for an embossed-look blanket. I generally work it with a 4 mm hook and find that combination is great for my usually firm tension.
I have found the yarn to be unlike many acrylics that can feel a bit like sandpaper. This one is soft to work with and gives lovely stitch definition.
Although I do not tend to work in DK weight yarn all that often, this is a yarn I reach for if I want a broad colour selection. With 111 colours available, it would be hard not to find something suitable for your project.
It also does not break the bank and comes in decent-sized balls of around 295 metres per 100 grams. Acrylics certainly have their place, and when you find a decent one they are often hardy for wear and easy to care for. Unlike some of the more prima donna yarns that can shrink dramatically if they accidentally find their way into the washing machine.
.Against:
Now please remember these are my own personal gripes and what bugs me may not bother anyone else.
I do not have a long list of negatives for this yarn as it largely is what it claims to be. It is not a luscious alpaca or a divine silk blend — it is a budget acrylic.
That said, I have seen some discussion in recent times about declining quality in some newer batches. Some crocheters have mentioned yarn that feels thinner or a little scratchier than older versions, and there have also been comments about colour differences between dye lots making it tricky to match older projects.
Personally, I have not experienced issues such as yarn thinning mid-ball or noticeable thick and thin sections in the balls I have used. My experience with the yarn has been quite consistent.
Overall
Overall, Stylecraft Special DK does exactly what it sets out to do. It is an affordable acrylic yarn with an impressive colour range, good stitch definition, and a softness that makes it pleasant to work with.
While it may not be a luxury fibre, it is a reliable and practical option for many crochet projects, particularly larger pieces such as blankets where cost, durability, and colour choice all matter. For those reasons, it remains a yarn I am happy to reach for when the right project comes along.
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Hobbii Cotton Kings Sultan Review
Today I am putting Sultan Cotton Kings under the microscope and looking at the good and bad. This is of course just my personal opinion!
The hard facts:
Composition: 100% Cotton
Contruction: 4 strand cotton
Weight: 200gms
Length: 800 m (875 yds)
Size: 5ply Sport Weight
Range: At the time of writing this 44 colours available
Colour transition: Slow gradient
My Opinion
For:
This is a very affordable option for a slow colour change yarn and this is a huge tick on that level.
The colour range is on the larger side and has quite a number of the colours I gravitate towards. Those who know me understand that the first thing I would do when selecting a yarn colour to work in, is to immediately throw all the green out. Even doing this leaves a lot of delicious colours to select and work from.
The colour transitions are amazing. When using a yarn that is made up of 4 strands, the manner of changing one strand at a time creates a lovely slow flow of colour transition. If you tend to make larger projects like I do with many of my blankets, the option to cut and swap to another ball is always a plus. I find this will take your project to the next level. The project I road tested this yarn on is a small blanket and I chose to work in the colour Amethyst (06). Purple is always a favourite of mine and at the top of the colour choice list. The colour is just gorgeous.
With the composition of this yarn being 100% cotton, it makes for great shawls, lighter weight blankets etc and is a great yarn to work in for those summer months.
I used my go-to hook for this type of weight yarn, that being my 3.5mm. Hobbii describes this as a sport weight yarn and I don’t see a huge difference in working with this as opposed to working in many other typical gradient yarns that state 4ply or fingering weight. Of course it is always best to gauge check!
.Against:
Now please remember these are my own personal gripes and what bugs me may not bother anyone else! I did promise to be honest with my reviews!
I am not a huge fan of working in 4 strand yarn! While I love the colour transition created by it, I just find it frustrating. And yes, I have tried putting a bead onto the yarn prior to starting in order to hold the wayward strands together and I have to call b*llsh** on that one.
Personally I don’t think it makes a jot of difference and those pesky little strands will pop out and then come back to haunt you a round later when you notice them. I found myself at one point threatening to hurl the blanket I was working on, from the balcony and let the wind take it where it would. A short time out for the project where neither of us dared to speak to the other did calm the situation down and while we may never truly be friends, we did manage to come to a tense understanding of each other (learnt to work together) nearing the end.
I find the cake size of these a bit of a downer for me. Many of the blankets and shawls I make, size and work much better when the cakes offer 1000m. This is of course not a huge issue but still for me a small elephant in the room.
Oh, I do love this colour!
Overall:
I do think I much prefer to spend a little more and work with Hobbii Sultan Deluxe and would love it if the colour range of the Cotton Kings was available in the Deluxe range. While I won’t say I will never use this yarn again, it is not my favourite or go to yarn. I do keep looking lovingly at the gorgeous colour selection and thinking to myself, is it really that bad the 4 strands? I have to then slap myself a few times to resist the urge to order and keep repeating ‘You don’t like 4 stranded yarn’ over and over.
But back to my butterfly blanket that does look superb in my chosen colourway and so who knows! This yarn and I may well never be besties, but I may forget the arguments and harsh words thrown around when using it, and one day be tempted by the gorgeous colourways to try again. I do just drool whenever I look at this incredible purple!
What you do get with this yarn is a lovely finished product with a beautiful colour transition and so for many who don’t find those errant strands annoying, this would be a great affordable option.
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Bendigo Woolen Mill 8Ply Cotton
Today I am putting Bendigo Woolen Mill 8Ply Cotton under the microscope and looking at the good and bad. This is of course just my personal opinion!
The hard facts:
Composition: 100% Cotton
Contruction: Plied
Weight: 200 grams (7.05 ounces)
Length: 529 yards (484 metres)
Size: 8Ply Dk weight
Range: 30 colours
Colour transition: Solid
My Opinion
For:
In order to have full disclosure I must state that Bendigo Woolen Mill have my patterns on their webpage. They run a brilliant program for local designers and pass on 100% of all pattern sales to the designers. I also have been fortunate to have worked with BWM on numerous occasions, where they have offered me yarn support. The team who run this business have my respect and I find them brilliant to work with.
This is an Australian yarn company and the largest individual manufacturer of quality yarns in Australia.
BWM cotton is super soft. This yarn has a lovely sheen to it to! The hank dying method they use lends to this softer final product. It is fabulous for blankets and works up just brilliantly, showcasing my designs in a manner that I find pleasing.
I find I get great definition in the stitches with this cotton and cannot fault it for quaility.
I love working in this yarn and it is often my go-to default when I am making any blankets that I want a solid colour in.
I also work often in the same yarn but in a 4ply (fingering weight). Again this is brilliant to work with.
This yarn has a colour selection of 30 shades.
While I have to say I do prefer the cottons (which is just personal preference) they also manufacture yarns in Alpaca, Mohair, Silk, Milk fiber and Bamboo.
These are larger style balls and not tiny 50g balls where you need a ton of the stuff to make a decent size blanket.
If you are lucky enough to strike a sale, then you can load up for future makes..
I typically use a 3.5mm hook when working in yarns of this type and. I do tend to have a very firm tension, so the result is nice little firm stitches.
I have made multiple items in the cotton 8ply.
.Against:
Now please remember these are my own personal gripes and what bugs me may not bother anyone else!
I only thing that I can say with even a slightly negative lean to it in regards to this yarn, would be the colour range. I understand that to dye more colours may be problematic to the mill, but I would really love a few more to select from. Maybe part of my gripe about this is due to the fact that the range has a number of greens in it and for anyone who follows my writings, you will know that I really am not a fan of green.
I will also add that this is a thinner style 8ply or Dk weight than most. Not an issue but something to keep in mind.
One other point I willl make is the need to keep a clean workspace when using the lighter colours. Of course this is not just relevant to BWM Cotton but to all yarns. There is nothing worse than putting time and effort into a project and find it is grubby by the time you finish.
Overall:
As can be seen by how often I use this cotton, I do love it! I have even converted one of my USA based pattern testers to using it. Yes postage to the USA can be a bit of an issue but they have asssured me that they are more than happy for all family members to starve, in order to feed their need for BWM cotton. (just kidding, postage is not that bad).
Do yourself a favour and try this cotton.
The links here will take you directly to BWM. I get no kickback from sending you there. My only benefit is the yarn support they offer and also the pattern sales I gain from there. Bendigo Woolen Mill 8 Ply cotton
You can also find a number of my pattern for sale in their independant designer section: Click here
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Bendigo Woollen Mill 8Ply Luxury Review
Today I am putting Bendigo Woollen Mill 8Ply Luxury under the microscope and looking at the good and bad. This is of course just my personal opinion!
The hard facts:
Composition: 100% Pure Wool
Contruction: Plied
Weight: 200 grams (7.05 ounces)
Length: 437 yards (400 metres)
Size: 8Ply Dk weight
Range: 36 colours
Colour transition: Solid
My Opinion
For:
In order to have full disclosure I must state that Bendigo Woollen Mill have my patterns on their webpage. They run a brilliant program for local designers and pass on 100% of all pattern sales to the designers. I also have been fortunate to have worked with BWM on numerous occasions, where they have offered me yarn support. The team who run this business have my respect and I find them brilliant to work with.
This is an Australian yarn company and the largest individual manufacturer of quality yarns in Australia.
The name says it all! .
BWM Luxury is simply that Luxury. It is super soft and while I am reviewing the 8ply or Dk today, this does come in 3Ply, 4Ply and 10Ply. This yarn provides great stitch definition and is a quality product. This has a snuggle factor of 10/10 and if using this yarn for items such as blankets, it does have some weight to it. It is perfect for weighted blankets.
It is also a great choice for shawls and hats for those really cold months. The end result from using this yarn is an item with a lovely finish and quality to it. Working with BWM Luxury is a pleasant and pleasing experience.
The 200gram balls are a big drawcard for me as I do design blankets a lot. It is a lot less work and fiddling with yarn ends, than you can get when using 50gram ball of yarn.
Luxury comes in36 shades. If you happen to be on BWM mailing list, they often send out colour swatch cards. This can be a very helpful resource, enabling you to see the yarn colours up close.
.Against:
Now please remember these are my own personal gripes and what bugs me may not bother anyone else!
I am very much a fan of this yarn so I will have to be very nit picky to find something bad to say about it.
Luxury is not a yarn I choose to use all that often. But this has more to do with the climate I live in. Right now it is winter but for me and where I am placed in this huge world, its endless days of sunshine. Winter sees very little rain and is in fact the driest months of the year. Skies are blue and it is seldom that a cloud dares to wander by. Mornings can be slightly cooler, but by 10am any extra layer of clothing is not needed. Therefore the need for a warm pure wool blanket, shawl, hat or anything else is really not a necessity. Then by the time summer does arrive, the thought of using a pure wool yarn really is not at all appealing, as it is just too hot!
Colour selection:
Yes, there are 36 colour choices available, but often the shade is just not quite what I want. Obviously manufacturers such as Bendigo Woollen Mills do have a limit on just what they can produce, but I do wish they would extend the colour selection slightly.
Luxury is so soft that it can be a problem. The urge to spend hours just squishing and admiring it can mean no work gets done! This yarn is almost too nice to use!
Using this yarn may spoil you for any other yarn. If you have heard the term ‘yarn snob’ and never understood the real meaning of it, try some BWM Luxury and you may well become one.
As a designer I don’t insist that pattern testers use BWM for a project simply as I have designed using it. Sometimes this could be ver unrealistic simply due to international postage costs. This is of course out of the control of BWM and comes with living in Australia. It is a long way from pretty much everywhere. So, if you are interested in trying out BWM Luxury and happen to be anywhere other than Australia, you may find postage costs a bit of an issue.
Overall:
Luxury is really worth trying, but do be careful you don’t get addicted to the super soft decadence of it!
Make sure you have subscribed to my webpage for the upcoming launch of a new pattern using this yarn.
The links here will take you directly to BWM. I get no kickback from sending you there. My only benefit is the occasional yarn support they offer and also the pattern sales I gain from there. Bendigo Woollen Mill
You can also find a number of my patterns for sale in their independant designer section:
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Scheepjes Whirl Review
Today I take a hard look at Scheepjes Whirl!
Scheepjes Whirl is one of the most popular gradient yarn cakes on the market, and it’s easy to see why. With its slow colour changes, generous meterage, and soft drape, it’s a favourite for shawls and lightweight blankets. But is it perfect? Of course not. Today I’m putting Scheepjes Whirl under the microscope and sharing the good, the bad, and my honest experience using it.
The Hard Facts
Composition: 60% Cotton / 40% Acrylic
Construction: Twisted ply
Weight: 225 g
Length: 1000 m
Size: 4 ply / Fingering weight
Range: 54 colours
Colour transition: Slow gradient
Links to purchase: (click here for Jimmy Beans)
My Opinion
For
Of course there is cheaper yarn on the market, but in my humble opinion, you usually do get what you pay for. We could all wish that Scheepjes Whirl grew on trees and we could simply head out into the garden to pick a few when needed… but sadly this is not the case. (Well, not in my garden anyway.)
I find Scheepjes Whirl to be a reasonably priced yarn that offers good quality. And if you’re going to bother working your way through 1000 metres, then using quality yarn is definitely worth it.
The cake size is fantastic. For many of the items I design, that 1000 m length is spot on.
I also genuinely enjoy working with Whirl and have completed quite a few projects in it. I typically use a 3.5 mm / E hook for Whirl projects.
It’s a great yarn for lightweight blankets and is especially suited to shawls. It drapes beautifully, feels quite soft, and has a lovely finished look.
One of my favourite features is the twisted construction. Unlike many slow-gradient cakes, this yarn doesn’t constantly split. Some gradient yarns are made up of separate strands that aren’t twisted together, and it can be a pain trying to keep them all behaving. With Whirl, I don’t have to worry about my hook slipping through one strand… only to discover that mistake 1000 stitches later.
And of course, the slow gradient colour changes are gorgeous. You can pull from the centre or the outside, which gives you control over how the colours flow.
At each colour change point, you’ll find a tiny little fuzz-buzz (a fluffy rejoin section). These don’t bother me personally, but I’ve seen plenty of people mention that they find them annoying.
The 60% cotton content also makes this yarn suitable for blocking, which means your finished piece will hold its shape nicely.
I have several blanket designs that use two cakes, including my Six Wishes for a Dragonfly Blanket. and North South East West Forget Me Knot Blanket. If you use two cakes and swap between them at the colour changes (working from the same colour section in each cake), the blanket develops a beautifully slow and balanced colour fade. It takes the finished look from gorgeous to WOW.
And it is perfect for shawls. Swinging From the Chandelier is an example of that.
Against
While Scheepjes Whirl has a reasonable colour selection, I do feel it’s time they updated the range and added more options. There are quite a few colourways I personally wouldn’t choose… but that’s just preference. I tend to gravitate toward purples, oranges, the occasional pink, and sometimes a brown.
That said, I do try to force myself out of my comfort zone now and then. I did exactly that with On The Wings of a Dragonfly, using Salted Caramel Matcha.
One ongoing issue for me is that—unless I rewind the cake first (which I always tell myself I should do, but never do)—I nearly always end up with some form of yarn barf or tangling at some point. No matter how careful I am, it always seems to find a way to misbehave.
To be fair, this isn’t exclusive to Whirl. Most fingering-weight gradient cakes seem to have the same talent for chaos.
Overall
Scheepjes Whirl is a yarn I’m very happy to work with. Projects made in Whirl often have that extra “wow” factor thanks to the slow, beautiful colour transitions.
I’ll definitely be designing more patterns using this yarn.
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Stylecraft Batik Review
Today I’m taking a close look at Stylecraft Batik DK yarn. I’ll be looking at the good and the bad, and as always, this is purely my personal opinion.
No, I have not received free yarn from Stylecraft to produce this review… but hey Stylecraft, all donations are gratefully accepted.
The Hard Facts
Composition: 20% Wool / 80% Acrylic
Construction: Fully twisted
Ball weight: 50 g
Length: 138 m
Yarn weight: DK / 8 ply
Range: Approximately 18–22 colourways (depending on availability)
Colour style: Painted / speckled effect
Links to purchase: (click here for LoveCrafts)
My Opinion
Hook Size
I typically use a 4.0 mm hook when working with this yarn, as it suits my personal tension.
The Good Stuff (AKA Why I Keep Buying It)
I’ve made a number of projects using Stylecraft Batik DK, and every time I work with it, I’m happy with the final result. It’s one of those yarns that always seems to add personality to a project.
Despite being 80% acrylic, it is surprisingly soft. The 20% wool content gives it an extra touch of warmth and quality, making it feel like a step up from many other acrylic-based yarns.
The yarn has a painted effect, with small specks of white showing through. This is more noticeable in some colours than others, but it adds to the unique look and makes the fabric visually interesting.
It’s also:
affordable
easy to frog (if you’re unlucky enough to need to)
unlikely to split due to the full twist
machine washable
a very flexible DK weight (warm without being bulky)
The smaller 50 g balls are also a bonus—they’re easier to work from and far less likely to become a tangled disaster.
Projects I’ve Used This Yarn For
Just a Little Bit Batik Shawl/Wrap
I really let my imagination run wild with this one, and I think the results speak for themselves. This yarn creates a beautiful fabric and the colour movement gives the finished shawl a lot of depth.
Pattern link: (Click here for the pattern)
Tirari Desert Flower Ruana
This is one of my favourite projects made using Batik DK. I absolutely loved the final outcome and the overall effect created by mixing colours from the range.
I also incorporated surface slip stitch, which looks especially fabulous in this yarn. The finished piece has a lot of detail and texture, and Batik DK really enhances the colourwork beautifully.
Leadlight Blanket
This blanket is worked in the round, and at one point I had almost 100 bobbins in play.
Yes. One hundred.
I am not known for being neat or organised in these situations, so I used cardboard as bobbins. It worked… but I won’t pretend it wasn’t chaos at times.
Now, I should probably confess something.
I have a deep dislike for yarn of the green variety. I’m just not a green person.
But I decided it was time to step outside my comfort zone and made the bold choice to create this epic blanket in green/blue tones. So yes… my Leadlight Blanket contains many of the Stylecraft Batik green shades.
The blanket turned out beautifully and the yarn worked brilliantly, but I still can’t say I’ve fallen in love with the greens. Some of the blue-toned shades are quite lovely though. The sage green? I dislike it a LOT.
The Not-So-Good Stuff
Being an Aussie means that finding stockists can be a thorn in my side. This yarn isn’t available everywhere, and purchasing from overseas often means a long wait.
I would also love to see more colours in the purple variety. And I have to say… I was highly offended when they removed Plum from the range.
While this is excellent quality for a mostly acrylic yarn, and it is quite soft, there are obviously higher-quality yarns available. You’ll just pay a lot more for them.
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Hobbii Soft Alpaca Review
It’s time for a close look at Hobbii Soft Alpaca! Today I’m putting it under the microscope and taking a look at the good and the bad. As always, this is purely my personal opinion.
This page may contain links to products.
The Hard Facts
Composition: 100% Alpaca
Construction: 4 ply twist
Ball weight: 50 g
Length: 165 m
Size: DK / 8 ply
Recommended hook size: 4.0 mm
Care: Hand wash recommended
Links to purchase: (Click here for Hobbii)
My Opinion
For
This yarn is soft. Proper soft. The kind of soft that makes you rub it against your cheek like a weirdo in the yarn aisle.
Hobbii Soft Alpaca has a gentle halo (that light fuzzy look alpaca is known for), which gives finished projects a beautiful, slightly dreamy feel. It’s especially lovely for accessories like shawls, scarves, and cowls where drape and softness are the goal.
It also has a wonderful warmth without feeling heavy. Alpaca is one of those fibres that manages to be cosy while still staying light, which makes it ideal for layering pieces.
I find it works up beautifully with a 4.0 mm hook, giving a fabric that feels smooth, flexible, and comfortable against the skin.
The yarn has a nice twist, and while it does have a halo, it still feels pleasant to crochet with and doesn’t constantly split. It has enough structure to behave, without feeling stiff.
The colour range is also very wearable. These are the kinds of shades that actually suit real life, not just the fantasy version of myself who thinks she’s going to wear neon chartreuse every day.
Against
As with most alpaca yarns, this one doesn’t have the bounce and elasticity that wool does. That means it can stretch if you make something heavy or oversized, especially over time.
Because it has a halo, it’s also not the best choice if you need sharp stitch definition. Fancy textured stitches may get a little lost in the fuzz.
It’s also not a “throw it in the washing machine and hope for the best” type of yarn. Alpaca generally needs gentle treatment, so if you’re making something for a toddler, a dog, or a husband who thinks laundry is optional… you may want to reconsider.
And of course, being alpaca, it’s not a budget acrylic. It’s not outrageously expensive, but it’s definitely more of a treat yarn than an everyday workhorse.
Overall
Hobbii Soft Alpaca is a gorgeous yarn if you’re looking for softness, warmth, and beautiful drape. It’s a fantastic choice for shawls, scarves, and wearable items where comfort is the priority.
If you want crisp stitch definition or a yarn you can machine wash without fear, this probably isn’t the one. But if you want something that feels luxurious and cosy, it’s well worth considering.