Life has provided Jan with numerous career paths including marketing assistant, bartender, innkeeper, and up til the end of 2009, caterer. Now as a full-time artisan with the growth of janzibar, her products can be purchased in many shops along the East Coast. She lives in West Chester, PA with her very supportive partner, John and their fat cat, Bubb.
Sewing since she was given a Singer machine at the age of 11, the first outfits were for her troll dolls and then for herself through her school years. Now, inspired by the wonderful handmade community in and around Philadelphia, she finds the energy to create the janzibar mittens, totes, and scarves from the encouragement of family and friends.
Jan’s mother took her shopping at the local thrift shops at a young age and now any flea market, yard sale, Goodwill or Salvation Army are her markets of choice. The janzibar brand is created from using all recycled wool sweaters, used clothing, remnants, throwaways and giveaways.
It’s better to recycle and restyle something than to have it end up in the already overwhelmed landfills. So when you buy a janzibar product, you are saving the planet just a little wooly bit at a time.
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Hello Jan,
I am an editor with Stackpole Books, publisher of fine craft books. I’m looking for someone to do a how-to craft book about exactly what it appears you do — mittens, bags, pillows out of recycled sweaters and other clothing. I really like the look of your product; in fact, I bought a pair of mittens for a Christmas gift at the Village Artisans in Boiling Springs . . . lovely.
If you are interested in considering this, please get in touch. I will be out of the office over the holidays, but back in again January 2.
Kind regards,
Debra Smith
Editor, Stackpole Books
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Hi Debra – thanks so much for buying the mittens and your request is certainly intriguing to me. And I would like to at least talk about your ideas. I too am away after for a few days and will be back in my studio on January 3. Call when you can. thanks again, Jan Cohen 484-802-2966