I use the craft fur off the backing most of the time like it was deer fur. Cut it from the backing and pick out the underfur {short fibers} just like you do for deer tail. It makes great saltwater streamers that have lots of movement for chasing Coho and Kings with.
Mostly I tie deceivers tied with the craft fur with white underwings and pink overwings with ginger saddle hackle and some purple icicle flash in the middle. The flies have a head of hard as nails and black felt pen eyes to finish it off. I have found the felt pen eyes work just as well as the stick on eyes. This has become one of my go to flies in Puget Sound. This fly got me some 30 fish plus days on Puget Sound in the summer and fall months.

That being said I have also used a few times some craft fur on the backing for Steelhead flies and used it like you would rabbit skin strips. I made some nice and simple pink worms for the Sky and Skagit rivers this way.

One note I will add. Craft fur does not take a kool-aid dye at all. Trust me on this I tried.