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
Quilt Retreat weekend at Midhurst, W.Sussex
House is full! Teachers this weekend are Jennie Rayment, Valerie Nesbitt and Sarah Soward (from Pauline's Patchwork); we know we are going to have a great time - lots of sewing, good company and good food. Sorry you missed it?! - well why not join us next year; the dates are 12-15 June 2015 and for a booking form just click here.
National Patchwork Championships at Sandown 2014
Had a great time with lots of visitors and both Jennie and I enjoyed meeting so many of our viewers - thanks for taking the time to stop by. Also bumped into many of our contributors, but a couple of new people we will be following: first Shirley Bloomfield who is an embroiderer with a new bok out Beyond the Applique Garden, which we will be featuring on the site as well as a delightful tablerunner - so keep an eye on the shop: and Nancy Adamek, who is passionate about paper piecing (!); lovely work and a new supplier to the patchwork world: here is an idea from her stand (it's just 7" across) and if you want to know more, and/or order paper pieces just visit her website: www.linapatchwork.com (we love to support home grown industries)
What rotary cutting equipment should you buy?
This is such a personal choice it's difficult to answer however there are a few things to think about that might help: Are you left handed? If so be sure that the rotary cutter works for you - most work both both right and left handed people but not all. What about the ruler? Well this should be a companion piece to your board - make sure that the ruler works across your board in both directions (i.e.