just FYI for anyone who might be looking . . . JoAnn’s has an on-line yarn sale that includes Caron Craft & Rug Yarn, described as
“This 100% acrylic craft & rug yarn from Caron is the perfect replacement for Aunt Lydia’s. While it has the durability of Aunt Lydia’s, it has the softness of a 4-ply yarn for plush rugs and other crafting projects requiring a yarn that will withstand wear and tear.”
Perhaps it’s just hype but the draw of antron (according to LaFontaine) is that it’s trilobal and reflects light differently than round yarns. So, unless the new one from Caron has that quality it’s not really the same as antron from a fly tying perspective.
Have always had a hard time with the much touted special properties of trilobal antron, but if you need the “real thing,” it is still available through the BookMailer (http://www.thebookmailer.com/Supplies/SparkleYarn.html). I use Caron yarn as well, but it is hard to find in the right colors and I hate ending up with huge piles of skeins just to tie a few patterns. While relatively expensive, the BookMailer has the right colors in more manageable amounts. As far as effectiveness, any acrylic yarn will work, in my experience.