Kiaora and welcome to the Bags of Dopamine shop, My name is Sophie Gold, and I make everything here.

I first learned the art of tapestry almost 20 years ago. I was pregnant with my second child, and studying for an art diploma at The Learning Connection, Pōneke, Aotearoa. I began creating "tiny tapestries", making brooches, coasters, patches and wall art, using a small portable frame loom.

A couple of years later with our Lyttelton kindly group, my kids and I took a day trip over to the Creative Junk shop in Heathcote Valley, Ōtautahi. (Yea, we caught the bus through the tunnel, it was awesome!) We got so many art and craft supplies that day, it was like a big pirate treasure hunt, and among other things I brought home 8 plastic grocery bags of colour popping satin selvedge ribbons for just a few gold coins. I had no idea at the time what we were getting them for, we just had to have them. The kids used them everywhere, our house looked very festive, at all times. At some point I had a flash of inspiration and built a large frame loom (not like the portable frame loom I use currently. It was close to three times bigger and needed an easel to support it). I warped it up with bright blue satin, and began my ribbon tapestry adventure.

We had a beautiful view living by Whakaraupō Lyttelton harbour, and I loved to spend as much of my "spare" time as possible looking out the window at the changing scenes while tying knot after knot after knot. It felt so peaceful.

I have adapted the illustrative tapestry method I'd developed to work within my current health capacity. Instead of the pattern being a fixed illustration, I identify the idea or feeling that drew me to the loom, and choose a warp fabric to represent the hidden aspects of that central idea (because the warp is usually kept hidden). While I warp up the frame, I consider a range of rules to follow, and by the time the frame loom is warped, I have a short list of rules which form the essence of the pattern I follow.

Sometimes the pattern centres around a colourway, usually it involves restricting the range of knots I'll use, sometimes it's about a particular type of fabric (the size, weight, pattern, texture or feel while I'm knotting it), sometimes it's about using fabric that is imbued with sentiment and rolling with the emotional ride. Sometimes I leave all the ribbon tags hanging off the front, other times the rule is to tie everything off in a particular way. It's always fun discovering a new rule to try.

I tack the pattern rules to the frame, relax in place, and allow myself to feel free to express myself, then begin the process of symbolically knotting together ribbons of waste to create a piece of beauty and worth.

Textural, colourful and malleable, Bags of Dopamine are a feast for the senses - putting your hand in feels silky, soft and comfortable. I lovingly nicknamed them hand bags because I really enjoy having them on my hands while they're in construction.

The comfortable sensory qualities make them a delightful and subtle talismanic item to have on hand providing tactile comfort when feelings are uncomfortable. They are the fashion version of an emotional support animal.

I hope you can appreciate the handmade quirkiness of these creations. Some pieces are more "tidy" than others, and I hope I have represented that effectively with the photos.
I don't always have the capacity for handmade perfection, so I have learned to lean into wonkiness. I now understand that my solutions born from difficulty have driven me to creating these wonderfully unique works of wearable art.

Take my trauma and turn it into 'gold'. I will donate 5% of each sale to Pet Refuge, the charity providing a safe haven for the pets of families escaping family harm.

Please note - to ensure the fastest delivery, I will courier them within Aotearoa New Zealand without additional cost. (Love and kisses to you rural Aotearoa!)

Thanks for dropping into Bags of Dopamine. I hope you enjoyed a delicious rush of neurotransmitters looking at all the pics, and that you'll share our shop with your friends, whanau, and eccentric sustainability fashionistas to accentuate the fun in life.