I interviewed : Pure Laine Etc.

 

I love yarn shop Pure Laine Etc for many reasons, one of which is that driving there in winter equals Tim Horton’s coffee, classical music on the radio, snowy trees, and an enchanting decor.  Pure Laine Etc is in Saint-Sauveur, with a great online presence for those who can’t make the drive.  Whether in person or online, you’ll get excellent recommendations for yarn, patterns, or workshops.

So yeah, I like this warm shop, Sylvie (the owner) and her daughter Mathilde.

I asked Sylvie to participate in this interview for the blog & for the magazines to which I contribute.  Here are her answers.

ACCROchet : Why did you decide to open a yarn shop, name it Pure Laine Etc, and base it in Saint-Sauveur?

Sylvie : I opened the shop on a whim.  I had lost my general manager position in a company out of Sherbrooke and got offered the same sort of position for another company in Saint-Jérôme.  Unfortunately that company was already in financial trouble and it closed a few months after I started.

So here I am, in a completely new area, jobless.  A month later and without really thinking about it, Pure Laine Etc. opened its doors on Principale Street in Saint-Sauveur.

Why Saint-Sauveur? Well, when I got to the region I looked for a good yarn shop and didn’t find one.  So I decided to fill that absence and Saint-Sauveur is a central location from where Pure Laine would be able to serve the Laurentians from Highway 15 straight to Laval.

The name, for us (we were 2 at the start) represents quality yarn.

 

Since it opened, what has changed or evolved about the shop?

I’ve aligned better with my clients’ needs and requests.  Our workshops and our customer service are always evolving.   That’s where our main focus is.

 

What do you like most about having your own shop?

So many things…  Meeting people, participating in their project’s success, helping, seeing how good crafting makes them feel.  I love the buying aspect too, discovering new products.

 

What has been the most surprising aspect?

The relationships that I’ve built with clients, their trust.  Pure Laine Etc is a meeting place.  I often say it’s my tavern for women!

(HAHAHA! YES!)

 

What classes do you offer?

Beginer classes, personal projects, making a blanket, toe-up and bottom-down socks, felting, assembling clothes…

 

Are your clients locals or tourists? 

Mostly locals.

 

Do you have a favorite yarn?

Julie Asselin for her dynamic colours!

 

I know you’re a knitter.. do you still have time to knit?

Hum… good question.  Let’s say I worked things around so that I would have time to knit without pressure, and be able to gift what I make.  I didn’t have time to do that anymore because I had to knit swatches of the shop’s offerings.

Last Winter I found good people to make those swatches for the shop, which relieved me of that pressure, so it’s a lot more fun for me now.  I don’t like to knit under pressure, with a dadline.

Now I can make gifts again.  I get to knit everyday.

 

What place does crochet have at Pure Laine Etc?

Crochet is getting bigger, but people still knit first.

 

Thank you, Sylvie!

 

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