Hello. You've reached the site of Whitstable artist Jacqui Double,  the maker and birder behind Mindful Felting. Welcome and thanks for joining me on my bird-making adventures!

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I make bird sculptures of all shapes and sizes in natural fibre using needle felting, the craft of binding dry fibres from plants or animal fleece into felt using barbed needles. ​Each bird is an original art work, made using skills learnt through years of practice and observation, and by devising my own artistic fibre sculpting techniques.

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I began needle felting in 2022, when I developed on-going ill health. Beginning as a fun hobby, I got more serious about it as a craft when I realised I could sculpt birds. I now felt daily, making birds at my own pace without pressure, simply focusing on my small desktop and the fibre. It is a kind of meditation and is very therapeutic; this is why I call myself Mindful Felting. ​​

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I do take commissions and really enjoy collaborating on making a bird. You can see some of the commissioned birds made over the past few years in the Gallery (if you click on an image my rambling notes will tell you). 

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For the last 4 years I’ve been honoured to send my birds flying all around the world, carrying my joy and delight in all things avian. ​I'm inspired by folk tales, folk music, poetry and nature writing, as well as the natural world on my door step. I research, sketch, make and mount my birds from my small studio in my spare room near the beach. I feel blessed now, to have found this new creative outlet 

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I've recently started to send my birds to galleries and exhibitions both locally in Kent and further afield. This is an exciting new chapter for me, both in my confidence as a craftsperson and as a license to be more graphic and interpretative in my making. My work is getting seen by more people in real life, which is very helpful as wool sculptures are hard to photograph and do justice to -  the subtle or brash textures, the different fibre's interplay with light and the truly amazing delicate strength and chracter of wool. 

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This site will always be the most direct way to buy and keep up-to-date with my bird art. I write an intermittent blog as the fancy takes me, and have a quarterly Newsletter you can subscribe to below (and in the feedback from found in the shop) ~ which will say where you can see my work currently on display, and what I am working on just now too. 

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All enquiries and questions are welcomed via the contact form below, no matter how large or small. 

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Thanks for being here!

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