See, entrepreneurs sink their hearts and souls into creating amazing products and offering A+ customer service. No one does personalization and a genuine touch like a small business owner.

Take a peek at episode 37 of A Handwoven Experience to hear the entire talk!

One Gift Challenge –

Here is your official challenge. Are you ready? Replace 1 gift that you would ordinarily buy at a big box store with something from a small business. It can be a local business or someone you love online.

In the comments below, let me know what gift (or gifts) you decided to purchase and from whom. Let’s spread some good karma and shop small!

Show Notes –

Small Business Saturday – This holiday has already worked its way into our yearly line-up, thankfully! But, it has only been a thing for 10 years, believe it or not. Click right here to check out an interesting article all about it.

Female small business owners – I found some fascinating data about women-owned small businesses. Being a female business owner myself, it is good to be part of a growing club that’s going to change the world!

Acton Creative’s Online Store –

The shop is open 24/7! So if you need to purchase a Fingertip Towel for Aunt Louisa at 3 am, it’s no problem!

You want to buy a Messenger Bag for your college-aged niece right after lunch? Yup!

You’re watching the Late Late Show and come up with a brilliant plan of Wallets for teacher gifts? No sweat. The little website elves are always working. Shop away!

And if while you’re shopping, you think, “You know what would make my life easier?”, include it in the notes for the order! If I can wrap a gift, include a note, or ship separately, simply let me know. I’m happy to help!

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So in this special episode of A Handwoven Experience, I am talking about my why. And not just my usual, “I love weaving” answer. I’m peeling back the curtain to explain more about where I came from, who I am, and what’s important to me.

My goal in sharing this is not only to give you a better sense of what shaped me and my why, but also to encourage you to do a little personal retrospection. Where have you come from? What has influenced you? What is your why?

I would love to hear about your journey. Send me a comment letting me know your why. I believe that right now you are exactly where you are supposed to be. Getting to where you want to go in the future is easier when you know where you’ve been. At least, that’s my theory. Happy Weaving! – chris

Show Notes –

Your “why” – This is the solid foundation on which you build your business – something you are wildly passionate about, which will help you keep going when things go sideways.

If you want to hear more about building a business from a digital marketing expert, be sure to check out Amy Porterfield. In this episode of her podcast, she talks about what to focus on when just starting out!

Freebie –

It’s not too late to nab the Weaving Pattern Guide! Simply click here for your very own copy.

The post My Why appeared first on Acton Creative.

A little background, first…

I have been weaving since 2005. And in that time, I have tried A LOT! I’ve worked on different types of looms. I have tried many, many types of weaving patterns. I have experimented with sooooo many yarns. And what has happened during that time is I have zeroed in on what interests me and what doesn’t.

While I find many elements of weaving fascinating, when it comes down to how I want to spend my time, I like creating fabric that focuses on 3 things –

1. I LOVE color. I love the play of colors with each other. I love how a tan can look almost peach next to one color, and yellow next to another. It is endlessly intriguing to me.
2. I LOVE texture. If you are anything like me, you feel this great need to touch all the fabrics, wherever you go. Texture speaks to the tactile aspect of weaving, which is just as important as the visual.
3. I LOVE interesting fabric. And since “interesting” isn’t a very specific term, let me explain my definition. I want to weave fabric that encourages folks to come closer. It beckons the viewer to identify the spot where the blue fabric morphed into purple fabric. It asks people to pay attention to the repeat and smile/think/study the place in the fabric where I intentionally changed it.

As I have narrowed down what really makes me tick as an artist, I’ve also determined the best format. And in most cases, that is plain weave. Plain weave is what you used when you made a potholder as a kid. Over, under, over, under. Simple.

While I love pattern, it has never driven me as a weaver. Thus, using the most basic weaving pattern for my work makes sense. I’m not interested in a complicated pattern distracting my viewer from enjoying the fabulous colors and textures.

The start of the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop

I’m a part of the Duneland Weaver’s Guild, based out of Chesterton, Indiana. It’s a fabulous, well-established, active group that includes ridiculously talented weavers. I adore them! The creations they bring for show ‘n tell consistently knock my socks off!

Each year, they do an end-of-the-year banquet (“end-of’-the-year” being in May, since they follow the school schedule). Last year, we were sitting at a lovely restaurant, listening to our featured speaker. She made a comment about a project being woven using only plain weave. And my friend, Sue, who’s sitting across from me said something to the effect of, “that’s right up your alley”.

What was so curious about that moment, is that up until that time, I had never thought of myself as being known for doing plain weave. It never even occurred to me!

But as I chewed on it, I came to the realization that I love using plain weave, and why not celebrate that? Plain weave is awesome! And while most weavers simply gloss right over it as beginner’s play, I feel strongly that there is much more to explore. Thus, the idea for the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop was born!

The making of the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop

Now that I had a kernel of an idea, I decided to make it real. And how better to do that than offering a class at the local weaving store? This past February, I did the first official, Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop at Three Moons Fiberworks, in downtown Chesterton.

Since I hadn’t taught this class before, I wanted to work with a smaller group. So, Rebecca (the owner) and I decided to cap it at eight students. I ended up with nine, since a pair of girlfriends wanted to do it together.

Just as an aside here, my parents are retired teachers. Not only that, they are planners. I inherited and absorbed lots of those skills. So as I pulled together the samples, the course outline, and the printed materials, I tried to think of every possible opportunity to share more information. My goal was to offer an enticing class that provided fabulous value and inspiration. To that end, I over-planned the heck out it!

I brought chocolates for the table. I had name tags. I had a sign-in sheet. I had a page for each student to take notes. There was a summary handout, plus a page for feedback. I was prepared!!!

And to my great relief and surprise, the experience was completely magical! The group of ladies that participated was so much better than I ever imagined! They weren’t shy to step up to the loom and try something new. They had so many great questions. Because of them, I began thinking that the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop should go digital one day.

And then, the world came to a halt…

Oh, quarantine. It’s amazing to me how I’ve changed during this time while we are all locked up tight. There’s no way to anticipate how you will respond until you live through it. My coping mechanism has been letting in a tiny bit of news (just enough to gauge how dire the situation is), and then focusing on something I can control. Right now. In my house. Something I can feel good about.

So when it became clear that there will be no classes running anywhere for awhile (including my April class at Three Moons), I decided now is the perfect time to bring my lovely little workshop to life on the internet. I thought, “this is a great idea!”

Until I realized that I had absolutely NO idea how to do it. Zero. No inkling.

Thankfully, I have friends. Fabulous friends who have done things I haven’t done, and learned things I know nothing about. These are the people who helped me bring the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop to life –

• Cole, one of my website boys, who is probably sick of me emailing him during quarantine! It’s almost daily that I have questions and requests for him. (I owe him LOTS of baked goods as a thank you!)
• Laura, my business buddy and unbelievable supporter, who has created multiple digital courses. When I asked her where to start, she pointed me in the right direction and advised me on things I wouldn’t have even anticipated!
• Marta, my friend and librarian, who edited the course with an eagle eye. At that point, I was unable to make any more decisions about what looked & sounded right. So she was invaluable in giving me a customer’s point of view. Plus, she’s brilliant at formatting and grammar!

In the span of about 4 weeks, the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop transformed from a live workshop, reaching only eight people at a time, to a digital class that can excite and encourage many, many people from across the globe to get weaving!

Sneak peek of the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop

Since you’ve come this far with me, it seems only fitting I give you a sneak peek of the course! The Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop includes 4 techniques, all designed as inspiration for how to weave beautiful, complicated-looking fabric using the most simple pattern. Here are the techniques –

1. Multiple yarns in the shuttle
2. Alternative materials
3. Knotted thrums
4. Shared dent

Each of these techniques encourages the weaver to use yarns and materials they already have in the house. There are no additional purchases required. Use what you have. Reuse and re-purpose.

My hope is that all students who complete the course begin looking at plain weave differently. They begin to see the great potential waiting for them to explore.

Beginning weavers can create stunning fabric with only a basic knowledge of weaving. Experienced weavers can play and experiment with a weave structure they learned on Day One. Curious crafters can view SO many options for what can be done with weaving.

Plain weave is amazing! If you are intrigued & want to see what all the fuss is about, come join me & our fellow students at https://actoncreative.net/not-so-plain-weave-workshop/

What’s next?

What’s next, you ask? Well, I’m thinking it might be a great idea to publish a course about dressing a loom. And a course simply about weaving would be a logical partner, don’t you think?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this behind the scenes look at the Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop! Like anything worth doing, the journey to produce it was challenging and exciting. I can’t wait to see what you create next! Happy Weaving!!! – chris

p.s. The Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop is not available at this time. But you are welcome to sign-up for the Acton Creative email to be the first to know when it opens back up!

Featured fabric from The Not-So-Plain Weave Workshop

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Asking for and accepting help aren’t signs of weakness. I see it as being smart enough to know your own strengths. As much as I could probably figure out how to do it solo, I always ask for help setting up my tent if I’m at an event by myself. It’s an easy task that takes 2 people a total of 3 minutes, tops. But by reaching out to fellow artists/vendors/volunteers for 3 minutes of their time they are usually happy to provide, we as a group are connecting. I’m learning their names. We’re kibitzing about the weather. We’re creating a joint experience. We’re sympathizing and supporting each other. And isn’t that amazing?

A few years back, my friend, Karyn, offered to break down neckties I was planning to use in a project. This is a time-consuming task and after a moment’s hesitation and multiple, “Are you sure?”, we worked out the details and she’s been assisting me ever since. She’ll work on the latest batch of ties while she’s watching tv, and I spend more of my time at the loom, joyfully creating. It’s a fabulous partnership I wouldn’t trade for anything – all because I chose to gratefully accept her help!

Asking/inviting someone to assist you or accepting their kind offer is a gift to both of you. Ultimately, my goal isn’t only to be uniquely successful as an individual, but to bring success to the people and the community around me. And that’s going to require LOTS of help.

How do you feel about others helping you? Happy weaving, friends! – Chris

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Boy, it’s a big one, isn’t it? It’s so easy to be hurt or disappointed or upset when folks don’t like your work. Or when they say they like it, but never buy. At one of the first European Markets I participated in at Chesterton, there was a woman who loudly proclaimed that she had seen, “a bag just like this at Target”. I’m sitting 4 feet away from her, at my loom, weaving the fabric that will be used in a future bag. Ugh…

What I came to realize is that my work isn’t for everyone, nor should it be. My handwoven, one-of-a-kind, colorful, textured handbags and homegoods are intriguing to women who value the story of knowing who made the item and what she went through to create it. My client sees the whole process, appreciates the passion invested in each piece, and will happily pay for it – knowing that she will have the only one in existence. Ever.

Not everyone is that person. And that’s really okay. I think our job as artists and business owners is to market ourselves and tell our story the best way we know how in order to reach our audience. That’s a pretty tall order. To do that, it’s in our best interest to let the other non-customers go and focus on our people.

Who are your people? Happy weaving, friends! – Chris

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Last year was about reformatting my business, which meant it was strange, exciting and a tad unnerving. This year, it’s all about building my business (which probably means it’ll also be strange, exciting and a tad unnerving!). But, I’m growing more accustomed to that sensation and embracing it as I go.

A portion of the 2019 vision board

To start things off strong, I’ve done a vision board. Have you ever done one of these? I’ve done them off and on throughout my life. Last year, I did one with Jane Lump and it sat in a prominent spot on my dresser where I could see it for the entire year. Did it magically bring all my dreams to life? Probably not. But, it was an amazing reminder of what I’m working towards and that’s pretty damn valuable in the long run!

Next, I’m working with a paper planner. My history with planners goes WAY back to the corporate days and the popular Franklin Covey planner (probably circa early 2000’s). Matter of fact, I still have the hard cover with some old addresses in it. Man, I used that sucker for years!! I got so excited when they released more stylized versions of the stark, plain Jane pages I started with. I loved having a central location where everything was written down. I’m one of those folks that needs to physically write a note to remember it. So, this was good for me!

Brian Tracy Goals Book

Then, smart phones and technology crept in and I felt the pressure to go digital. I firmly believe that technology can be wildly helpful! But, after years of trying to plan/schedule/write to-do’s completely on my phone, I picked up a paper planner for 2018. It wasn’t anything glamorous. But boy, did it make a difference for me! So this year, I’m fully embracing the paper planner and letting my phone remind me of appointments and time sensitive tasks.  I’m hoping it’ll be a match made in productivity heaven!

Lastly, for this new, exciting year, I’m focusing on and visualizing my goals. This formula for mental exercises is a fairly standard theme in business and self-improvement books. And while I’ve read the suggestions time and time again, I’m going all in this year! Matter of fact, my friend Laura and I are re-reading Goals, How to Get Everything You Want – Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible, by Brian Tracy. We’ve tackled this nugget multiple times, but it’s resonating more effectively this time around. It’s all about timing, isn’t it?

Do you have plans/resolutions/big ideas for 2019? If so, I applaud you! Dream big! If not, no worries – the year could completely surprise you! Cheers, everyone! Happy weaving!!

There needs to be at least one weaving-related photo, don’t you think? Happy 2019!

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Let me walk you through the scenario that drove this particular point home. It’s Tuesday morning at approximately 9:15. I’ve been up since 6:30, but am still in my pj pants (which are about 4 inches too long because they are made for regular sized girls – not ones that tap out at 5’3″). Haven’t brushed my teeth or put in my contacts, so I’m sporting slightly peanut butter-scented breath and geeky, thick librarian glasses. But, because I’m a morning person, the second I finished breakfast at 6:45, I’ve been working.

Back to 9:15. I’m standing in the kitchen putting one of my Messenger Bags into an over-sized colander that is sitting on a food scale trying to determine how much the handbag weighs. I have a table runner waiting in the wings to be weighed next.

It’s like some sort of modern art installation, isn’t it? “Handwoven Messenger Bag in Colander on Scale”

At this point, I simply start giggling at how ridiculous this must look! My goal was to put together a shipping chart for the new website, clearly by utilizing wildly unconventional methods. I’m obliviously disheveled as I stack my beautiful handwoven things into a holey kitchen bowl on a tiny little scale while standing at the butcher block island. I’m thinking that only someone who is forging their own path, figuring it out any bizarre method they can, would appreciate this moment.

Growing your own business is a strange and awesome journey, no doubt! So many hours of the job take place in ratty clothes, sitting at my floor loom, hot tea on the side table and Big Bang reruns playing as background noise. (Usually our fierce 16-year old miniature Daschund, Pete, is close by guarding me from… well, nothing really. He can’t see or hear worth a damn these days. But, he’ll happily lick an intruder to death if they get close enough!)

Handwoven fabric on floor loom

It’s years of weekly conference calls with Laura talking about our individual businesses and sorting through a plethora of business books, mining for nuggets that will give us a leg up. It’s meeting with SCORE advisers and laying out my meager sales numbers from previous years in an effort to devise a smart course of action for the future. (Talk about an exercise in bravery!)

It’s (what seems like) a million different occasions when I simply don’t know an answer and I have to muster up the energy to go track it down. It’s researching the best place to buy wholesale bra strap material for the wristlet of the Clutch. (Yep, that’s me! I would imagine not many folks have spent as much quality time as I have hunting that item down!)

It’s practicing/muttering my elevator speech at random moments to get more comfortable saying it. “Hi, my name’s Chris Acton, with Acton Creative. I celebrate weaving through handbags and homegoods!” It’s funny how different it is to speak it versus type it. Whole different ballgame! And speaking of practicing, I can’t even tell you how long it took before I could tell you the price of a Messenger Bag and not flinch. I had a lot of work to do with my perception of money & value before I could confidently relay my prices.

My morning uniform.

It’s learning and becoming proficient at a thousand different skills that aren’t weaving-related. I had no idea what I was signing up for ten years ago when I left the corporate gig to be an artist full time! I only knew I wanted to weave.

At the very core, being an artist and entrepreneur is one of the least glamorous job out there. And that is okay! Personally, I’m not much of a glamour girl anyway. I’m much more comfortable in my drag-the-floor pajamas using kitchen tools for abnormal uses. Like I said – it’s a very weird job!

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Weaving… well, it’s not the quickest art form out there. And to start at the very beginning (there’s a song in there, right?) designing/weaving a bolt of fabric, handing it over to my seamstress, and delivering it to a customer by mid-December, that takes more time than you’d think.

Custom

Thus, the theme for today is custom! When I look up the word in the Thesaurus, it shows the following – customized, tailored, particular, special, handcrafted, and handmade. (Interestingly enough, there are 4 dictionaries and/or thesauruses sitting by this very computer! We need them all because they’re SO drastically different? Clearly, we have a problem. But I digress.) Those words accurately capture my goals for each project. Weaving fabric specific to the client and creating products he/she can enjoy forever!

Montgomery runner to cover their bookcase.

Custom Steps

In order to have a great experience for everyone involved, I’ve learned there are a couple of steps to be tackled along the way. First, discern who is an actual customer, and who isn’t. People throw out ideas for custom pieces all the time! “Would you ever make…”, “You know what my Mom needs?”, “Let me tell you about my idea that would be so cool!”, etc.

Starting out as an artist, I felt like I needed to give everyone very serious consideration and at least ponder their ideas. But as I have put a few years and plenty of experiences under my belt, I have learned that folks always have great ideas! And many of them feel the need to share EVERY ONE of them with you. Now, I say that with a good sense of humor and a little sarcasm, but no malicious intent.

People get excited meeting someone who is doing creative things and they want to be a part of it. Their creative ideas could be brilliant! But, at the end of the day, I am not responsible for making their ideas a reality.

This is where a little education and a little self-confidence steps in. A custom project needs to be beneficial to everyone involved. So, a few years back, I figured that my starting dollar amount for a custom project is $200 – they usually end up much more than that. For me to stop what I am doing, meet with a client, plan a project, prep materials, set up a loom, weave the fabric, pay the seamstress – it needs to be worth it.

Lu’s Travel Bags woven with her husband’s neckties.

Once I had established the value of my time/energy, it became much easier for me to listen enthusiastically to whoever is talking a mile a minute about the next best thing, waving their hands around, and watching me expectantly. I could get excited right along with them, but not feel pressured to take the project on.

Usually the prospect of putting a dollar amount to it instantly changes their perception. It can be humorous watching their faces when I tell them what I’m worth. I don’t get offended, but instead take it as an educational opportunity to explain the process. Most folks simply have no idea how long and involved something is. Why would they? It’s not like there are a lot of weavers out there.

I’ve also learned that I can simply say, “No, thanks” when I just don’t want to. Life is too short! (Do you watch the Big Bang Theory? I always try to pull up my inner Sheldon at those moments!)

Starting a Project

Once I have filtered out the actual clients from the excited idea-generators, I start things up with a thorough interview. I attempt to ask enough questions to get a good read on what they want at the end of the process – what things matter the most, where I have creative leeway, specific elements to be highlighted, etc.

If at all possible, I do the interviews in person. There’s something about reading a person’s body language that is critical. Plus, I want the client to feel comfortable with me so they can ask questions, throw out ideas, make requests, etc. Usually we’ll chat over a cup of tea/coffee since that is the best way to get to know someone! (I’m sure there have been studies done somewhere.)

Cindy’s project using dad’s neckties & mom’s hankies.

By the end of the interview, if I’ve done my job correctly, I will have the parameters of the project spelled out for both of us. I have a pricing sheet and an idea of my calendar ready before I meet so I can provide fairly accurate expectations. This time with the client is really the most important part of the process – the rest is simply execution.

Custom Projects

In some cases, there are personal elements to be added to the fabric. I love working with a family’s neckties/scarves/clothing to create a new heirloom! Joan requested wallets made from her Dad’s neckties, and later, clutches created from her Mom’s silk scarves. We used Roberta’s mother’s hand-stitched hankies as the lining for a series of wallets for the many girls in the family. Cindy provided me with items from both parents to create a variety of handbags for family and friends who loved them. It is such a sweet, poignant process of re-purposing an everyday item to create something new that will be cherished and most importantly, interacted with on a regular basis instead of sitting in a closet or box.

We included an image of the original shawl as part of Marta’s project.

In other cases, clients want a unique color/size/material incorporated into a project. Linda wanted a table runner in fall colors with lots of texture. The Montgomery’s needed a runner to cover the top of their ultra-long half-height bookcase. Diane requested a holiday table runner. Kim asked for a Messenger Bag in her company colors. You get the idea!

For me, there are really two sides of the process – the client relationship and the actual project. They both challenge and excite me in unexpected ways. So, I am really looking forward to this fall’s line-up of custom projects. My hope is that many people will be opening up handwoven gifts this holiday season that are uniquely yours!

If this sounds like the perfect solution, go to the Acton Creative Custom page – https://actoncreative.net/custom-work/ There you’ll find lots of information and instructions on how to get started. I can’t wait to work with you!

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We all met when we worked together at Discover, the credit card company. And as we moved on to other jobs and locations, we started coming together for an occasional weekend of camaraderie.

There have been weddings and babies and multiple addresses. But, we’ve always stuck together, the four of us! It’s a crazy special bond that’s a fabulous gift!

In the early years, we would try to plan something cool to do away from the norm. But, these days we typically just sit around catching up and letting the stress drain out of our shoulders – at least for a weekend.

As I think about running my own business and the constant trickle of pressure that comes with it, I value my time away for Girls Weekend that much more! We didn’t do anything life-altering and our 48 hours together probably won’t stand out as memorable twenty years from now. But, the accumulation of the experiences, the conversations, the hugs, the laughs – all that is so important in keeping me centered.

Driving back home yesterday, I marveled at how that time with my girls was just what I needed in order to re-focus! It’s amazing how important it is to have time away from work so I can work better!

What do you do to keep your life balanced?

Song of the Day – Big Data, “Dangerous”

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Well, a vision board is typically a collection of images, words, and phrases all posted on a board of some kind. The items you glue/print/attach to the board all represent something meaningful you want in your life. For instance, you want to be healthier in the future so you attach a picture of a runner. This doesn’t have to mean you will morph into a marathoner, but it can simply be a visual cue for keeping you on track.

I bring all this up because yesterday I met with a wonderful trio of ladies and we created vision boards for 2018. Over the years, I’ve done these kinds of exercises before and I’m always a fan! I don’t necessarily think to do them on my own, but I enjoy the process and appreciate the visual reminder of where I’m headed.

Part of what made yesterday unique was that I only knew one of the ladies prior to our meeting. Working on something this personal with a room of virtual strangers could have been awkward. But as it turns out, it was great! Listening to their current situations and future goals was inspiring! Each woman has a business she is building with a variety of challenges in her future.

Plus, observing people putting together something like this is fascinating! Do you like a lot of images? Does it all have to match? Do you spend more time searching for inspiration than actually jumping into action? Do you need to fill every inch of the board? Do you prefer some verbiage with the photos?

In some ways, this was one of the best experiences in getting to know someone really quickly! It wasn’t simply about what each woman chose to put on her board, but also the way she did it! I probably left the most blank space showing, which is fitting since I get overwhelmed with too much going on. And the other gals incorporated less words, which just speaks to how each person likes to be inspired.

I’m really looking forward to a future meeting with this particular group to find out more about them and if their 2018 is falling in line with their boards!

What’s your take on vision boards?

Song of the Day – Alice Merton, “No Roots”

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