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 for charity from Mary
I surprised myself and finished a quilt for the charity a few days ago. I have even photoed it! Picture attached. I used a lovely piece of liberty cotton (it feels like silk!) and the remainder was pieces that I had in the house. As a dressmaker I find it hard to get my head around the concept of cutting up perfectly good cloth into little pieces and then sewing it back together.
THings Irene has enjoyed on the website
Just to say I have nearly completed another of Val's scrap quilts - the red and white one. I am planning another one using all my scraps. They are easy to make and I can use up the vast amount of small fabric pieces I have. I have also made Helen Deighan's pot - a little one to practice! Also an earlier workshop on box making that Jenny demonstrated and I have made lots of these for gifts.
Help with layering a quilt
I was interested in Valerie's Layer Quilt and Bind method I have dug out a finished top layer which I put on the back burner as I find it hard to layer it on the floor, I am confident that it will get finished now. I have done a sample of Jennie Origami Hexagon so pleased that I have fabric to make a cushion, maybe one day I will manage a quilt.