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
Ipad Upgrade meets with approval
If you want to know what the upgrade was all about: click here Some of the comments we have received since the upgrade came into effect: Your new website is brilliant. I have been frustrated for many months because I just could not access the site properly and since my husband pays the subscription fee was considering cancelling it. No longer - I love the fact that I can access everything on the ipad and it's given me much pleasure. I've just watched among other things,this evening, the video on making the reindeer appliqué together with my five year old grand daughter whilst on holiday and when I go back home I've been asked to make it for her.
Well done and thank you - the new website works brilliantly for me.
Regards Irene
I have just watched Jennie on Safari much much better, thank you.
Best Regards
Ann Very very pleased that I am now able to see vido on my iPad. Just great will be able to use it all Many thanks for getting that up and working - Marian Thank goodness I don't have to use Puffin anymore on my iPad, quite often the script was all broken up and impossible to read.
Love this site and I return to it often to watch your tutorials..
Regards,
Maureen Hurrah!
What’s this bit of my walking foot for?
Question: I have an attchment for my janome machine which enables me to do measured straight lines. I haven't used it for years, and so have forgotten how ! ! It consists of a metal bar about 3 inches long with a right angle prong at the end of it, and 12 years ago it was fantastic for quick quilting diamonds or squares. Have you any ideas please of how I used it?
Mystery Quilt Secret Gallery
!! SPOLIER ALERT!! Here is the special secret picture gallery of your versions of the Mystery quilt, but you'll only be able to see the pictures if you're logged in as a subscriber.