Bemidji Yarn Shop Fiddlesticks Fiber Arts Opens as Community Hub

A new yarn and fiber arts shop has taken root in downtown Bemidji, drawing enough early attention to earn a Lakeland PBS feature and a formal welcome from the Bemidji Chamber Ambassadors within weeks of opening.

Fiddlesticks Fiber Arts, located at 509 Beltrami Ave. NW, is owned by Debbie Johnson and Mishel Carlson. The shop stocks supplies for knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, embroidery and weaving, and carries specialty items including yarn bouquets, which let customers select their own color combinations and textures as a custom gift. "Owned by Debbie Johnson and Mishel Carlson, Fiddlesticks is more than just a shop — it's a creative hub for connection, education and inspiration," a release said at the time of the Chamber Ambassadors' congratulatory recognition.

The store's Maker's Space is central to that community-focused model. The dedicated area invites visitors to gather, learn and create, and pairs with a rotating schedule of crocheting and knitting classes offered throughout the month. The classes are designed to serve all skill levels, from first-time beginners picking up needles to experienced fiber artists looking to refine technique or explore a new craft.

Lakeland PBS aired a feature on Fiddlesticks on March 6, 2026, highlighting how the shop has developed into a gathering place for fiber artists in the region. The broadcast attention, combined with the Chamber Ambassadors' visit, signals a strong start for the business in a downtown corridor that also includes the Beltrami County Historical Society, Watermark Art Center, Harmony Natural Foods Co-Op and dozens of other independent shops listed through the Bemidji Downtown Alliance.

The shop publishes a monthly newsletter and maintains a blog called "What's Happening at Fiddlesticks," which also appears in the Bemidji Pioneer. Online shopping is listed as coming soon on the store's website at fiddlesticksfiberarts.com.