My connection to earth lies in the mountains and beaches of Wales. As I move through nature, I think of how our ancestors interacted with this landscape. Their relationship to earth was reflected in Celtic legends and local folklore. These stories can provide insight for our modern understanding of the environment and conservation efforts.

Seeing the earth as alive and embodied with spirits is a magical way to respect the divine energy surrounding us. In the run up to Samhain, I wanted to create a ritualistic hat that encapsulates the power of Cailleach.

The Gaelic Goddess Cailleach takes many forms, known as the divine hag and winter queen. She is a giant deity who embodies transformation, creation and destruction. As she roams the mountains, she freezes the ground and conjures storms. She reshapes the landscape, dropping rocks to cause landslides and floods. As guardian of animals, she protects them through long winter months.

Her presence takes form in this giant hat, with a snow-peaked mountain crown and wide protective brim. The shape derives from traditional Welsh hats, with a nod to witches. The Celtic knots reflect our ecological entanglement; made with a combination of organic and human-made sustainable fibres.

The wiring allows the wearer to include ephemera into the design. In the spirit of Cailleach, I’ve pictured the hat in a state of transformation. Either in its original form or further adorned with pieces of shell and seaweed, collected from the Welsh coast of Borth.

Radiocarbon dating reveals an ancient forest submerged off the Borth coast, giving credibility to the legend of Cantre’r Gwaelod; the sunken kingdom, lost to flooding. As I wear the hat, I reconnect with lost stories.

The use of rust further supports the hats’ position between earth and water, mountain peak and seabed, growth and decay.

Note: Entries have been not been edited or proofread to protect the integrity of the maker's original meaning.