About Vendulka
Vendulka Battais is an award winning textile artist, tutor and half of the couple running textile studio OliVen in the heart of Suffolk.
Vendulka started her creative journey making clothes from remnants with her mum in the Czech Republic. She learned simple patchwork when she moved to the UK and was looking for a new hobby. From squares and triangles, Vendulka’s work evolved into quilting, embroidery, and circular patterns inspired by mandalas and dreamcatchers.
It was this growing passion which led her to start her own patchwork and quilting shop with her partner, Olivier, on the Isle of Wight in 2011. It’s called OliVen. In 2015, they moved family and shop to the village of Monks Eleigh in Suffolk.
Vendulka loves to make patchwork quilts, teach patchwork in the shop, travel to teach groups and demonstrate at shows.
Somehow she found the time to publish a wonderful book, Cathedral Windows – New Views, and win the Best in Show Award at Festival of Quilts 2021. This is what the judges had to say about the work: “a wonderful collaboration of design and workmanship. We loved the variety of feathers and their balance of glorious colour. A masterclass in the stitching of an intricate Mandala, together with precise use of the glitter liner medium.”
Signature Technique
Bringing embroidery into quilting
Top Tips
- Glittery and metallic paint on fabric brings a project to life – especially in the dark!
- Create an enhanced 3D effect on Cathedral windows with folded patchwork, padding, and a new colour twist.
- Combine different elements such as machine quilting and hand embroidery. It’s a joy to work on and the result is stunning.
Videos
Patterns
Posts
What can I use to hold up my quilt sandwich when basting?
If you are using the basting gun it is so much easier to have the quilt sandwich lifted up from the surface; there used to be a basting grate that could be purchased, but this seems to be a thing of the past; a tip from one viewer is to use the cake cooling tray, and another uses an upturned plastic cutlery tray - just a couple of lateral thinking ideas!
Take 9 a great success
Hi all Just giving an update on my king size quilt,I decided to try take nine for the side of quilt and cut all the pieces out ,this wasn't easy for me but I got there eventually,I purchased my fat quarters from Hobby craft in Havant & I just want to tell you not all of their fat 1/4s are good size some in the 6 packs are a bit smaller and I used some pieces from my stash.I have sewn 4 of my blocks together and am so chuffed with them - each 1 is exact size and went together so easily.Thanks Valerie for pattern and video couldn't have done it without you xxxxx from Sheila (learner) Want to know what Sheila was making?
What sewing machine would you recommend for a 6 year old.
Question: Can anyone advise me on a suitable electric beginners sewing machine for my 6 year old grand daughter who wants to appliqué and quilt! Help please!
Many thanks Answer: How great that you have the next generation so interested. Two of my ladies have children also sewing and they have started them off with a small machine, around £100 I think; if you buy something cheaper they will often not have the grown up options of applique and quilting - so you should check that she won't outgrow whatever you purchase too quickly.