Process

Every JZ Bag begins at our beautiful wall of Yarn. "Step away from the yarn" is a frequent warning in our studio! It is addictive. Playing with color and different yarn texture, thick and thin or soft and fuzzy, we lay down skeins of colors. Next we select from our collection of exclusive bag knitting patterns designed by Jean Zakotnik. These patterns have evolved over the years incorporating practicality and versatility, adjustable straps and removable brooch felted flower pins.

Next comes the knitting. FELTED HANDMADE HANDBAGS is the classic cottage industry. Our knitters are woman, mostly elderly, living in the Washington DC metropolitan area. Other women are at JZ Bags as a first step to re-entering the workplace. Using two strands of yarn on size 15 circular needles, it can take anywhere from three to ten hours to knit a JZ Bag. The knitted bag is then "fulled" transforming it to FELT.

Felting is one of the earliest forms of textile processing we know. Felting happens because wool is sheep hair, and each strand is covered by microscopic scales. The primary mechanism of felting is abrasion. As the individual hairs get rubbed together, the scales catch on each other. The overall effect is that the wool shrinks irreversibly to make a mat that can't be separated. The knitted bag shrinks to approximately one-third to one-half its original size!

Throughout central Asia, where some of the oldest felts have been found, Turkman nomads made their tents, clothes, and floor coverings from the material. One method involved placing wool under the saddles of horses and the combination of heat, friction and moisture would form the felt.

Using today's modern method, after hand-knitting, JZ BAG's are individually felted in a washing machine. Each bag must be shaped and stretched throughout the washing process. Every few minutes it is removed from the hot water to ensure it is not "sticking together or rolling" in the wrong places. After the desired texture is achieved, the bag is removed and rinsed in cold water. Then the bag is formed into its final shape and air-dried. Each bag takes on a personality as it moves thru the process from a ball of yarn to the finishing touches of a button or flower.

The final result is a truly beautiful, one of a kind, durable, water resistant and lightweight handbag. What more could anyone ask for?