A PASSION FOR FABRIC

If Connie Biselx and Roxanne Beauvais could describe themselves in one word, that word would be “intentional” (but only because they’re too modest to say “adorable”).

The two women own Modern Textiles, a fabric boutique located in downtown Fargo. Although the store has only been open for about a year and a half, Biselx and Beauvais have been business partners for longer; the two started out selling bolts of fabric at small craft shows and at UnGlued in Fargo before making the plunge into entrepreneurship.

“We always tell people to start small with what they have,” Beauvais said. “It’s going to be more work than you imagine it will be, but it’ll be worth it.”

The way to deal with that workload? Be intentional.

“You simply have to be intentional about everything,” Beauvais said, mentioning that balancing work and family life is just one example of such a thing.

Biselx agreed, adding that “having extremely understanding husbands and a business partner with the same commitments is a plus.”

Although the duo originally started out with less than 10 bolts of fabric, they now offer a mesmerizing assortment of fabrics as well as tools, patterns, kits, craft books and classes. Their advice for other entrepreneurs comes down to a simple recipe.

“You need three ingredients for a business,” Beauvais said. “You need to have the right idea in the right place at the right time.”

They admit, though, that it isn’t as easy as it sounds.

“You also have to be prepared for the notso-fun things,” Biselx said. “So, make sure you make time for the things you love and really invest in them, because that investment will pay off.”

Both women have a visible passion for fabric and crafting, but they agreed that the best part of the job is getting to experience their customers’ creativity.

“Knowing that we can be a small part of encouraging our customers to make things is amazing,” Beauvais said. “One customer was telling us how much she loved our store the other day. She said, ‘I feel limitless in my creativity when I’m in here.’ And that was incredible to hear.”

In addition to customers who have already found their creativity, the women said that they often meet customers who never thought of themselves as creative until they had the opportunity to sit down and try a sewing class or experiment with fabrics.

“Being a small part of that creative journey allows us to encourage them and to watch them grow in their creativity,” Biselx said. “At our classes, we make sure that you get to finish your project while you’re here. That way, you get to go home and make more with the skills you learned and you really feel like you accomplished something.”

Modern Textiles offers a variety of classes, from Sewing 101 (in sessions for children and adults!) to Bucket Totes. The women also offer an array of garment classes, in which they teach guests to make everything from children’s dresses and scarves to elastic waist skirts and button-up shirts. A full list of class availability, pricing and registration details is available at the Modern Textiles webpage.

Overall, Biselx and Beauvais have cultivated a business that they hope will continue to spark creativity in the Fargo-Moorhead community.

“We love to create,” Beauvais said. “We had this shared passion for fabric and now we get to share that passion with the community.” [AWM]

Visit

http://www.moderntextiles.net/ for additional information and a brand new online store. Modern Textiles is located at 17 7th St S in Fargo, ND.