Bags O’Gold—Handmade Fabric Purses by Virginia (Ginny) Gold
Bags O’Gold are made one at a time from a carefully chosen selection of fabrics—typically sturdy remnants searched out from hither and yon by Ginny in her Spare time. The rest of her time is spent as a self-employed renovation contractor, doing a wide variety of painting and wallpapering projects, called upon by decorators, museums and g
alleries as well as by homeowners for her expertise and reputation of 28 years, along with the cabinet-building and remodeling mastery of her ‘better half.’ Cutting out and sewing fabric actually has a lot in common, skill wise, with wallpapering and home decorating. Ginny arrived in Maine with two young sons in 1984, moving here from Iowa. She had graduated from her parents’ rigorous school of ‘you can learn to do anything you set your mind to.’ That springboard has made for an eclectic life and business model! Ginny worked school summers at an international music camp in Michigan, also with Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers’ organization in California, studied as am AFS student for a year in Austria, graduated from Iowa State University with honors in German, and a minor in International Relations, then, with her Australian husband deigned, owned and operated a steak house, and a few years later a fine-food restaurant and legendary multi-storey college-town pub I Ames Iowa. The flagship steakhouse, That Place on the Conrad Corner, which the Golds launched literally in the middle of a central Iowa cornfield, still hums away with the same name, décor, menu and general atmosphere they conceived in 1971, drawing crowds from many many miles night after night. (Note: Yes, studied in Austria, married an Australian. Ten years of life as a restaurateur was enough of that! Ginny settled in Maine, where two of her brothers had already established themselves, Ginny went back to school to certify to teach not only German, but also English and History. She loves to tutor individuals and small classes, and does so whenever the opportunity arises. Bags O’Gold can be seen as part of the fabric of the life of the creator. Each one is crafted to be a little surprise, and hopefully a work of art as well as a utility. Thus the combinations of patterns and colors and textures, the multiple pockets, and the pretty or fun fasteners. Like their maker, Bags O’ Gold are a work in progress. Ginny is always working on new patterns and features and sources to come up with the next generation of Bags O’ Gold. Whichever bag you select, it is intended to be fun, unique, long-lasting and hopefully functional pleasure to you. Your comments are always welcomed at [email protected]
