Made in County Donegal, Purl Soho’s Hedgerow joins that region's famous tradition of wonderfully nubby tweeds. Yarn spinning has centuries-old roots in the area, and Hedgerow comes from one of the county's last producers of Donegal tweed yarns. With its small bits (or "burrs") of fiber that polka-dot the yarn, every stitch of Hedgerow is special!

About This Yarn

• Hedgerow is 93% merino wool, 3.5% cashmere, and 3.5% mulberry silk. This mix makes for a softer hand feel than strictly traditional Irish wool, while still celebrating the aesthetic and integrity of Donegal tweeds.
• Akin to our laceweight, single-ply Spindle, this worsted-weight yarn is nice and toothy, knitting into a sturdy fabric full of fascinating colorplay and rugged beauty.
• Hedgerow is a two-ply woolen-spun yarn. Woolen-spun yarns are made directly from carded fiber, which creates a bit of a "fuzzy" finish compared to worsted-spun yarns, which are combed first to align all the fibers for a smoother, denser yarn. Another difference is that woolen-spun yarns trap more air, making them lighter, loftier, and warmer than worsted-spun yarns. Woolen-spun yarns also tend to be very elastic and bouncy and, like Hedgerow, bloom beautifully after washing.
• Explore our palette of 17 super inspiring colors, each with its own story to tell, from the quiet song of House Wren to festive Fuchsia Rose! Visit our collection of (mostly free) knitting patterns in Hedgerow and get inspired!
• Please Note: Saturated colors may cross-stain during blocking, so if you're knitting them with lighter colors, we recommend taking the precaution of soaking the dark colors first in a vinegar and cold water bath to remove excess dye.

Product Details

• Content: 93% merino, 3.5% cashmere, 3.5% mulberry silk
• Weight: 100 grams (3.5 ounces)
• Length: 243 yards (222.2 meters)
• Gauge: 4.75-5.25 stitches per inch, worsted/aran-weight yarn
• Suggested Knitting Needle: US 6 or 7 (4-4.5 mm)
• Suggested Crochet Hook: F or G (4-4.5 mm)
• Recommended Care: Hand wash cold, lay flat to dry
• Milled In: Ireland

Sustainability + Environmental Impact

• Hedgerow's merino wool meets the International Wool Textile Organization's standards on Wool Sheep Welfare and is Woolmark certified, to ensure the quality and traceability of the fiber. It is 80% sourced from Australia and the rest comes from New Zealand, South Africa, and Europe.
• The mill in Ireland avidly modernizes their equipment for more energy efficiency and also has its own waste water treatment plant that is monitored to comply with the local Environmental Protection Agency. It adheres to European REACH regulations that protect human health and the environment from harmful chemicals, and they also send their wool waste to be recycled. We love this mill!

Recommended Substitutions For Hedgerow

• Looking for more yarn like this? Check out our hand-dyed Vinter Wool from Norway, a similarly unique yarn that knits up at a similar gauge. For a machine-washable wool substitution, you'll love Daily Wool Worsted, or for a plant-fiber option, check out our organically grown Sunshower Cotton. You'll also love our other two Irish tweed yarns, chunky-weight Wild Donegal and lace-weight Spindle!
• Shop our other worsted/aran-weight yarn, merino wool yarn, silk yarn, cashmere yarn, and woolen-spun yarn, all available only at Purl Soho.
• Learn more about how to substitute yarn with our confidence-boosting Yarn Substitution Made Easy article!

Learn More

• Learn more about cashmere yarn with our ultimate guide! Discover where cashmere comes from, find out what cashmere yarn feels like and how it behaves, explore different types of cashmere yarn, and even learn how to care for your finished cashmere hand-knits!
• Also find what makes yarn a worsted weight, and learn the difference between worsted weight and similar-but-different aran weight! Our complete guide to worsted-weight yarn will answer all your questions and help you find just the right worsted-weight yarn for your knitting pattern!