Face to Face: Caroline Blacketter

At Beadingschool, curiosity is part of our craft—just like beads and thread. We love asking questions almost as much as we love creating, and we’re lucky to be part of a community where beaders generously share both their knowledge and their inspiration.

This Face to Face interview shines a light on one of our newer community members who quietly slipped into the Beadingschool Club and quickly became someone we all appreciate.  She has been beading with us for just over a year, diving into beadweaving and exploring colorful, inspiring combinations. She’s a regular at our live broadcasts, and it’s always a treat to see her pop in during a Zoom lunch break!

So grab your favorite beverage, settle into your creative corner, and enjoy the story of how Beadingschool became part of her journey—and how she’s become a beloved part of ours.

Meet the Beadingschool Club member, generous and kind beader,

Caroline Blacketter!

 

 

 

Please tell us a bit about yourself! When and how did you start to create? How did you learn to bead?  

My name is Caroline (pronounced Caroleen) and I have been a member of the Beadingschool Academy for a year this month. Although I grew up in France, I have been living in the United States (Minnesota) for 13 years. 

I have worked for a tribal nation for the past 5 years (I have a doctorate in Native American history) and beadwork is an essential part of tribal culture in general and Ojibwe nations in particular. Their beadwork consists of flat stitch (bead embroidery) and not bead weaving.

Three years ago I lost my mom to cancer, then in the following 6 months, I also lost my grandparents, and my husband and his son also exited my life. The loss, grief, and turmoil were enormous. I was only able to get back on my feet thanks to two novelties in my life: my cat, Cee-Cee, whom I adopted from a shelter, and learning how to bead, pouring all my feelings into my beadwork. I went to a workshop on the reservation where a coworker taught me the basics of bead embroidery, in 2022.

My first project ever was this little turtle that I sewed onto a blanket for my grandma who had not passed yet. Now it is in my office and I look at it to never forget where it all started.

 

Is beadwork your hobby or profession? What does your average day look like? When do you have time to create?   

I sometimes wish beading was my profession, but it is not. After working as an advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault on the reservation, I am now in charge of the cancer program of the tribe. I work from home half of the time, and I bead mostly in the evenings and on weekends.

I spend half of my money on beads and I always say that I would have to live 10 more lives to use all the beads I have hoarded these past 2 years. I find peace not just in beading, but also in the beads themselves: organizing them, buying them, trading them, just looking at them quite frankly! I even created a beading club in my little town of Duluth, MN, and we meet every other Saturday for a couple hours. We bead, we chat, we trade, we exchange tips and jokes. 

 

What did beading bring to your life? 

Right before I started beading, I created coasters that I made with epoxy resin. I was using stones, glitter, and very bright colors. I think the act of creating beauty is very important in my life. Beading brought me so much comfort, peace, and friendships. It grounds me like nothing else. I wish I was a yoga person but I am not! Beads will work their magic on me like yoga would for someone else.

 

Tell us about the piece of jewelry that’s special for you, or you are the most proud of! 

I made two pieces of jewelry that I particular love. The first one is a pair of earrings that I designed thinking of my mom. The dentalium shells and long chain represent her long blond hair, the clear blue is for her beautiful eyes, and the crystal represents motherhood.

The second is a medallion (I later created a necklace for it) of a butterfly that took me more hours than any other beading project I have ever worked on. To me, it represents rebirth, freedom, and connection to the spirit world. (note by Beadingschool: on the cover picture) 

 

Where do you like to create? Do you have a designated area in your home where you keep your beads?  

 I usually bead at my kitchen table so I can be close to my African grey parrot, Socrates, and my cat, Cee-Cee, naps on the table, too. But I am working on building myself a beading room where all my projects and all my beads will be gathered. If I ever make it happen, I will make sure to share the result with the Academy members!

Currently, my beads are mostly in my basement, in several different pieces of furniture, which forces me to go up and down the stairs every time I have a change of heart on the color or type of beads I want to use. It is actually a good way of relieving the tension in my body and move around in between sessions of intense concentration.

 

 

What is your favorite stitch? Which colors do you like the most? On the other hand, is there any color or color combination you try to avoid? 

Because it is what I learned from the start, I am partial to flat stitch/embroidery stitch. All my work for the first year I beaded was flat stitch. That changed when I joined the academy and I LOVE the variety!

My favorite color is purple (some of my friends have called me Miss Purple in the past) and I often use turquoise and fuchsia in my projects (the Beadingschool colors!). 

I do not care for most greens (but there are exceptions) and do not care for browns at all unless there is gold in them. I also do not like mixing gold and silver so I always try to work my colors so they are not part of the same project.

Two of my latest flat stitch projects. I love pansies!

 

Do you follow instructions or do you like to develop your own designs? How would you define your style?  

 I usually follow instructions closely and only make changes to avoid square shapes because I love round and oval shapes. So far, I have only created one design from the Fairy Forest Academy box and I loved it, but I do not consider myself a designer at all at this point. I think I have the potential to grow into it but all in due time!

My style would have to be romantic, blingy, and girly.

 

Who are your favorite designers? Why? 

I am always eager to start on Zuzi’s patterns because I find them natural, uncomplicated and they give life to wonderful jewels. I once made 8 different pairs of the same Zuzi pattern! I also love Ruxandra’s patterns as they satisfy my need for romantic and flowery visions. They are sometimes complex to me, but the end result is always satisfying.

I like to keep my finished projects out so I can enjoy them!

 

Do you have a favorite design by Erika? Tell us about it!   

 I have several that I love by Erika – my favorite might be Carlina, the reason being that it was the first jewel I created using bead weaving and using my first Academy box!

That day, it took me 6 hours to complete it and a whole new universe opened itself to me. It was a wonderful experience and I thank Erika for creating all this joy for so many beaders all over the world, all the time. Just think about all the hours the 1,400 subscribers collectively spend creating beauty thanks to Erika’s vision. It blows my mind.

 

Which is the bead / component in your stash which you treasure the most? Do you already have plans on how to use it?

I frankly love all my beads and components but I have a few favorites: some Sw. Crystals, genuine semi-precious stone cabs, and 24 kt gold Charlotte cuts. The one item I keep for a future medallion is a little porcelain cab that looks hand-painted and that belonged to my grandmother. I have held on to it since I was a little girl and found it in a box not very long ago.

 

If you could design something for a well-known person or maybe a fictional character from a film or book, who would it be, and why? 

Twenty years ago I would probably have chosen Madonna or Marilyn Monroe. In 2025, I would bead a medallion for President Zelensky, with Ukraine’s colors and a message of strength, resilience, and bravery. 

 

What are your plans for the future as a beader? Is there something you would really like to learn? 

I hope beading will remain a part of my life for as long as I still have to live on this earth. I sometimes worry about my eyesight, as it has really gone badly since I started beading (my age does not help!) but if my eyes will let me, I think beading will be a passion of mine for years to come. 

I would love for it to become a more integral part of my life and to enable me to live off of it, working around or with beads, but I doubt I will ever get that good and productive! 

I learn new technique every couple months these days, slowly, without pressure, and on my own tempo – I don’t ever want to feel like I “have to” learn something new, but it has come gradually and naturally so far. I know I can improve my brick stitch and one day I will make fringe earrings.

 

Where can we see and/or buy your designs? 

I only have a modest Facebook page that gathers everything I have ever beaded. I actually set it up so that when someone asks me to bead something for them I can send them to it and they can take a look and let me know what they would like (design and colors).

The page is called Caro’s Beaded Creations.

I usually do not sell the jewelry I make. I have beaded lots of gifts for my family, friends, and coworkers, and sometimes I get special requests/orders. Whenever I get paid for my jewelry, I donate the entire amount to the shelter I adopted my cat from. I have also donated to fundraisers for cancer patients and nonprofits for victims of domestic and sexual violence. Because I learned from Native people, I do not ever want to profit from that knowledge or benefit from some type of cultural appropriation. So I decided when I got paid for the first time that all the proceeds would be for charities of my choice. 

 

 

 

Thank you for answering our questions, Caroline!

We’re very happy you found your way to us and it’s so wonderful to see your growth through the Academy Themes. You’re such an inspiration to many of us in the Beadingschool community. Thank you for your beautiful jewels you share with us.

We wish you a pleasant beading journey as you’re discovering more from various stitches and techniques.

 

Dear beading-friends and beadwork admirers, please, use the comment section if you have more questions you would like to ask, or greet our Caroline.

Stay tuned for more interviews for Beadingschool.com by Erika Sándor.