This pattern is available for purchase at Piedmont Yarn & Apparel in Oakland, CA.

“Toshogu is a shrine in Nikko, Japan, and is famous for being one of the most lavishly decorated in the country. The shrine and surrounding buildings are full of intricate carvings and exquisite gold leafing, which is in sharp contrast to the modest austerity of most other shrines and temples in Japan. Nikko itself is a small town in the mountains north of Tokyo - traveling here one can find peace in the quiet, rustic surroundings.

I’ve combined a tweedy wool with a naturally dyed, handspun silk from Laos, to create this hat that captures both the rustic atmosphere and the unusual extravagance of Toshogu. The cables remind me of the wood carvings and the silk is the gold that seems to accent everything. The stitch pattern is very simple, and though it involves two colors, it is a slip-stitch pattern and only one color is ever used in each row. This is a perfect pattern for the advanced beginner who is looing to practice cabling and try something with two colors besides simple stripes.“