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
Heat Resistant Fabric – where can I buy it.
This is available in small quantities from our own shop - the amount is perfect to making another Iron caddy Tote: click here; To enjoy the video on how to make the Iron Caddy Tote, click here: but if you want more/larger pieces then you can purchase it directly from Creative Quilting. wwwcreativequilting.co.uk.
How many Jelly Rolls do I need to make the Mystery quilt?
What a good question - it actualy doesn't say BUT jelly rolls are usuallly considered to be at least 20 strips and often as many as 40; if you have the larger version then you will have more options! Want to know more about the Mystery Quilt? click here:
How do I quilt the 40 minute scrap quilt?
Would it look ok if to do it at an angle? Answer: Good question - it will look already whatever you do as it's really scrappy; I took the easy option of quilting with wavey lines (and my walking foot)
over every other seam with a thread that was tonal/varigated. If you quilt on the diagonal be aware that this is on the bias and you won't want the quilt to distort.