Interview with Jane from Jade Sapphire yarns...and a giveaway!!!

We couldn't be more excited to be carrying Jade Sapphire's beautiful yarns!  Since we picked up both the Mongolian Cashmere 4ply, Moonlight, and the Silk Cashmere 2ply last fall, it has continued to fly off of our shelves!  We recently had the opportunity to do a blog interview with Jane Saffir, the wonderful creator of Jade Sapphire yarns, and we jumped at the chance!  Here is what she had to say about her company, her passion for yarn, and life in general...

Tons of pretty little
cashmere skeinlets!
JBW- Can you give us a super quick history of Jade Sapphire yarns?
JS- I started out as just another fiberholic who wanted to knit with cashmere yarn, which wasn't very available 8 years ago!  I rationalized my first purchase of cashmere by thinking that I'd start a business, when I really just wanted to knit with it myself.  Now, 8 years later, with more than 150 colorways and more than 10 different yarns, I wish I had more time to knit!

JBW- How many staff members does Jade Sapphire have? 
JS- We've stayed a very small company, with just a handful of office staff and dyers, and, of course, myself and Ken.

JBW- As a small artisan yarn company, do you have any advice for those folks out there hand-dying with kool-aid in their sinks on how to make a living doing what they love? 
Silk Cashmere 2-ply
JS- Hmm...I didn't go into the business with the idea of making a living.  Somehow a business becomes your life, and hopefully your living as well.  In my case, I had retired from a career as a teacher, and wasn't thinking about making a living.  I don't really have any good advice on this, except try to do what you love.

JBW- Does Jade Sapphire have any new designs that you’d like to tell us about?
JS- The Summer Ponchette, designed by Nancy Ricci of www.gettingpurlywithit.com.   It takes 2 skeins of our Silk/Cashmere yarn and is a great lightweight layering piece for summer.  That is what we are giving away today!

Mongolian Cashmere
4-ply
JBW- So, we’d love to know a little more about you personally-- where did you grow up? 
JS- I grew up in New York and New Jersey.

JBW- What time do you typically start your day?  
JS- I wake up at about 7:00 a.m., and have the luxury of drinking my morning coffee in bed, brought to me by Ken, my partner in Jade Sapphire and life.  Before we started our business together, Ken was known among my friends as "The Fiber Enabler," always supportive of my passion for yarn.

JBW-  Gosh, that sounds nice!  What a keeper. :) So, do you prefer coffee or tea? 
JS- I love both, each in their proper time and place.  Coffee, as mentioned above, in the morning, or as cappuccino in the afternoon, preferably with a biscotti.  Tea, freshly brewed in a china pot, also in the afternoon, served in a china cup.

JBW- Tell us a little about your previous life—you know, before yarn…
Moonlight
JS- Hmmm...was there ever life without yarn?  I've had an interest in yarn and needlework since I was a little girl, although no one ever taught me how to do any of it.  I taught myself to knit out of a book, and, since I'm left-handed, I figured I should do everything with the opposite hand than what was described in the book.  The result is that I knit in the opposite direction than most people.  I start with the empty needle in my left hand.  A few years ago I forced myself to learn how to knit right-handed, but am more comfortable doing it left-handed.  The good part is that now I can knit back and forth, which comes in handy sometimes. As I mentioned earlier though, I was also teacher of little kids in New York City for over 20 years.  I was also an indexer of books for a lot of years.
Purl- the Jade Sapphire
Inventory Manager. :)

JBW- What is your favorite hobby?
JS- Knitting, of course, but I also absolutely love spinning!  And I do love crochet, needlepoint, embroidery...all of it.

JBW- What is your dream job?
JS- I guess I have it!  One of my favorite parts of it is getting to name colors.

JBW- What was the last crafty project (knitting or other) that you created?  
JS- I finished one Wonderful Wallaby and am almost finished with the second for our twin grandsons, 17 months old!  They're knit with cashmere, of course!

Purl waits for the UPS
driver. :)
JBW- What is your biggest accomplishment?
JS- Creating Jade Sapphire has definitely been my biggest achievement, other than producing two wonderful daughters.

JBW- Do you have a favorite possession?
JS- I love my yarn stash, and I love my spinning wheels.  I have about 14!  I am definitely an equipment junkie, in addition to being a yarn and fiber addict.

JBW- Next big adventure?
JS- Maybe writing a book combining patterns using our yarns along with a travelog showing the source of cashmere and its production into yarn.

Summer Ponchette





Thanks so much Jane for giving us a behind-the-scenes look at Jade Sapphire yarns!  Readers- if you'd like to enter to win one of 3 Summer Ponchette Kits (2 skeins of Jade Sapphire Silk Cashmere 2 ply-- 2 kits in the Hydrangea colorway and 1 in Deep Plum, and the pattern), courtesy of Jane and the lovely folks at Jade Sapphire yarns, please leave us a comment letting us know where you would wear your Summer Ponchette -or- tell us about your favorite knit using Jade Sapphire Yarns.  


Please, only one entry per person.  Comments will be closed at Midnight on Monday, 2/20/12 PST and 3 winners will be chosen (using a random number generator) and posted on the Monday, 2/20 blog post.  Please be sure that you check back here on that day to see if you've won.  If the winners do not contact us within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen in their place. 

Thanks so much for reading, and happy knitting!

Kristen  


PS.  Jade Sapphire is one of the companies that has joined us in the Stitch Red campaign to help create heart disease awareness in women!  Learn more about Stitch Red here.


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Summer Ponchette

83 comments:

  1. I would wear the lovely Ponchette in the office of course! Aren't they always freezing? And woudl definitely take it on airplanes too! So light and lovely!

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  2. I would wear the Ponchette in my office - it's so cold here! (I'm sitting with a USB-powered lap blanket today...) Would love to knit up some chemo caps with that lovely yarn!

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  3. I'd like to take it to San Francisco for my annual summer extended weekend there. Or perhaps back up to the beaches in Washington state...? Love.

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  4. Love that yarn! I think I would wear it in the evenings when I always get a little chilly.

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  5. ooh, I always drool over this yarn at my LYS, but it's out of my price range :-( Crossing my fingers that I win, and if I did, where WOULDN'T I wear my ponchette? I live in San Francisco, where it's sort of cool and damp year round, so I always seem to need an extra layer!

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  6. I would wear the ponchette out for a date with my bf in the summer time.

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  7. The Ponchette would be a staple in my work wardrobe. My office is freezing year-round and this would be great for days when an extra layer is needed.

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  8. I would wear it in cool evenings by Lake Ontario.

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  9. I would wear this to my daughter's graduation from Portland State in June...she is finally getting her master's degree....how cool would this be to be surrounded in love...ty!

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  10. I would love to wear the Summer Ponchette to the Festival at Sandpoint this summer and the Caribbean Mist color is perfect!

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  11. Oh my. I have the loveliest shawlette I made from the 2 ply silk/cashmere last summer, in the blue-green colorway. It never fails to elicit admiring comments (and it inspired the clerk at my local natural foods store to pick up her knitting after years of absence--she wants one too!). I love snuggling around my neck!

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  12. So beautiful. I would wear the ponchette, (well everywhere, really), but it would be so much fun to wear it to church and maybe dinner afterwards.

    Patty
    welcra@comcast.net

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  13. In home setting at the computer so I can chill and not nuke the entire house with the heater. I would rather wear layers indoors during winter then be warm in my skin and have to suit up completely just to go outside. Also at work because after 1:30am the temp in my work space tanks by about twenty degrees or so. At least during the winter, and when they kick the ac on for summer we is all going to have runny noses so warm layers are a blessing to keep those at bay

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  14. Lovely, I would wear it while I did my evening walk. The WV nights can be cool.

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  15. In the house, I try to keep the heat as low as possible.

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  16. I would wear it walking on the beach in Cape Cod this summer. What a wonderful thought!

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  17. I would wear the summer ponchette to my first nephew's wedding in May! It's beautiful!!!

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  18. I would wear it to work every morning. Never have been much of a coat person, so a beautiful ponchette would be perfect.

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  19. wear it to church. I just finished ordering yarn from JB !!

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  20. I would wear it on those cool Southern fall evenings when you don't want a coat but you want something - it would be perfect!

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  21. Oh...I would wear it every place I go. It is beautiful!

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  22. LOve the pattern and love cashmere! I would wear it to a Mid-march outdoor wedding, on the river! I am in florida - so this should be plenty of cover for that time of year!

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  23. I would wear it on those cool Southern fall evenings when you don't want a coat but you want something - it would be perfect!

    Jennifer
    tbowen1 @ nc.rr.com (who really has to figure out blog posting)

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  24. I would where mind on my cruise this spring! bon voyage!!!!

    -Crusin' in style

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  25. That yarn is so beautiful...I can't think of anywhere I wouldn't wear it!

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  26. I would wear this to my mother's birthday party in June. June nights in California can get a bit chilly. This would be the perfect accessory!

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  27. what a lovely interview! It is SO pleasant to "listen" to someone who really enjoys what they do. And thanks for the giveaway ....

    I would wear my stunning creation :) up in the Sierra mountains in CA, where we try to spend all our free time, when we can! The summers can be cool, but the fall is beautiful with aspens changing colors!

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  28. I would wear it on my annual Montreal summer trip! It would be perfect for the cooler weather!

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  29. I would have to wear it to my family reunion this summer. Then I would not be able to take it off because everyone would want to borrow it.

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  30. I would wear this pretty much anywhere! Love the look! It would come in especially handy to wear when I'm getting my chemotherapy. I always get a little chilly sitting there for 5 hours. I'd wear it to dinner, on my daily run to Starbucks, the grocery store, everywhere!

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  31. I would wear it on a date with my husband...or in alone time, just to feel how soft it is. I have a 3 month old and a 3 year old, so getting to wear something so luxurious will be a precious moment.

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  32. I live in Florida so I can wear my ponchette all the time. I'd keep it with my purse so I could throw it on when I go to the mall, restaurant, etc. Thanks for the chance to win one of these kits!

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  33. I would wear it with a dress or skirt - looks like the perfect light layer for a cool night.

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  34. I would wear this Pouchette at home and when I go out and want to look great! I can only imagine how soft and yummy it is!

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  35. I would wear the ponchetta at the Lake Tahoe Shakespear Festival. :)

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  36. I would wear my ponchette to the office. It is always so cold in here!

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  37. I love when I check the blog and it is an interview with a yarn creater or designer. And what a fab give-away. I would wear the ponchette in over-air-conditioned restaurants, which seems to be the norm in the ATL summer.

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  38. This would be perfect for me at my son's rehearsal dinner.

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  39. I would totally take my Ponchette back to Maui - because it was a little chilly when I was there a few weeks ago.

    And would totally have it in my office the rest of the time - this place is an ice cooler! :)

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  40. I would wear it to work - I am a teacher and I just started to offer knitting classes after school to students and staff ( I am only an advanced beginner but I have had a lot of requests!) I would also wear it out on summer evenings - maybe for an evening on the deck.

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  41. I would wear it out to dinner to celebrate my 22nd wedding anniversary this year.

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  42. I would wear it when I want to feel all fancy! I love it that it can even go over a simple white tee with a pair of jeans...so, I'd wear it out with my friends.

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  43. There are so many places that are over-air conditioned in the summer here in Houston, so there would be no shortage of places to wear the ponchette!

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  44. Family Reunion on a lake this summer. Would be lovely for the cool evenings!

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  45. This summer I'm going on a cruise through the Panama Canal, and I know there will be some chilly nights when a cashmere poncho will be just the thing to wear!

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  46. Thank You for the opportunity to win this lovely pattern and beautiful yarn. I have a nephew getting married July 5th and that would be the initial wearing-then I would wear it anytime and anywhere I wanted-maybe everyday!

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  47. I picture myself wearing a lovely ponchette to those evening summer outdoor concerts that always seem to get a little chilly!

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  48. This would be my perfect thing to take to the movies and restaurants during the summer....for when the air conditioning gets too chilly but you don't want to look silly putting on something really heavy...just enough to cover my shoulders and arms!

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  49. I would wear the ponchette as a wrap-around kerchief - that is, if I could get it back from my daughter!

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  50. I would wear it on the cruise I'm going to take!

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  51. I would wear it everywhere! I've been wanting to knit with jade sapphire yarn and would love the chance if I win the shawl kit.

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  52. I would wear it in the tundra otherwise known as my office.

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  53. I would wear the ponchette out to dinner with friends. I can hear the compliments already!

    greyowl60 at yahoo dot com

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  54. Wow... So gorgeous! I'd wear it to the office, to dinner, to my knitting group... In short anywhere I could.

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  55. From dressing up to wandering the yard in the summer...I love this yarn and knitting with it is heaven!!!

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  56. I would wear it to the movies since it is always cold or to work if I get chosen to teach summer school.

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  57. I would wear the ponchette while walking on the beach at Cape Cod

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  58. Dare I say I would wear the gorgeous ponchette with jeans...everywhere! Beautiful!

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  59. I would wear the ponchette when going out to eat with my husband. I'm always chilly in air-conditioned spaces.
    Thanks for the generous giveaway!

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  60. My grandparents live in Taylorsville, KY which happens to be about an hour away from Lexington...I promise this is related to the topic...and what is in Lexington, KY.you may ask? An amazing yarn and fiber festival that I will be attending in mid May with my grandma. And I would look lovely sporting this amazing summer ponchette as I browse and pet all the pretties the festival has to offer.

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  61. I would knit this for one of my daughters, and then I would probably have to buy more yarn and knit one for the other! (I have 3 daughters, but the 3rd is not a shawlette wearing type.)

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  62. I would wear this dream on a cruise or whenever I go on a walk at twilight, it' so romantic and the cashmere silk so nice on your skin!

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  63. I would wear this out to dinner. Beautiful!

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  64. Family is planning our vacation.. I have never traveled without a wrap for cool restaurants. This lovely ponchette would make a great addition to my suitcase!

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  65. I'd wear the ponchette to music festivals - it would be perfect for when things cool off at night.

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  66. I live in AZ and in the summer the office is FREEZING! The vent is right over my desk. I would wear it there most of the time, but also at our Fiberholic's Anonymous meetings just to taunt the others.

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  67. Absolutely beautiful! Love the color. Where wouldn't I wear it?!?

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  68. I love Jade Sapphire. I have a swallowtail shawl, pattern by Evelyn clark done in the silk/cashmire 2 ply in the Anya's Garden colorway. It's beautiful and can't wait to knit with more Jade Sapphire yarns and colorways.

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  69. Oh, my, where WOULDN'T I wear it? In the shower, I suppose. Otherwise, I'd never take it off. :-)

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  70. A shawl that gorgeous I would wear walking on the beach just before sundown. I can imagine the setting sun casting a glow on the luscious fibers and the ocean breeze lifting the corners as I walk. Yum. Beautiful colors and a simple yet elegant pattern.

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  71. I would wear it ANYWHERE! Lovely Lovely.

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  72. I would wear it to restaurants and theatres - so often over-air conditioned!

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  73. Definately to temple where it is always cold in summer. And out to restaurants.

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  74. Definitely anywhere with air conditioning!

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  75. Oh where, oh where would I wear my summer ponchette, oh where oh where would I go?! My hubby and I would send the kids to stay with grandma while we go away to Vegas for a day or two, without the kids we wouldn't know what to do! There are always kids in tow, everywhere we go! Where ever we ended up in Vegas, the summer ponchette would most definitely be a part of a very special occasion as we rarely get time away from the four kiddos!

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  76. The air conditioning can get a little chilly in the summertime, so I would keep this ponchette in my bag to throw on in movie theaters, restaurants, and at the mall.

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  77. I live in the Pacific Northwest where the weather is always either a little damp or a little chilly. This garment is PERFECT for spring days or even summer nights. I hope I get the chance to try it out and try it on.
    P.S. Jimmy Bean's you Rock my world!!

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  78. I would wear my poncho out to dinner with my wonderful husband.

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  79. I just want to touch this fabulous yarn.
    SydneyS

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  80. I would wear it everywhere. In the office, when I go dancing, shopping, movies, you name it. It would be perfect for what my body is going through right now. :-)

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  81. I would love to wear a ponchette for walks, which I am taking mor and more frequently now that the weather is warming up. It would be so nice to do it in style :-) thanks for the opportunity!

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