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
Support Alzheimers and buy a quilt
Ann Hill achieved her objective of covering the Hampden Park Football Stadium with quilts - all 5,000 of them - but now they need a home!! Here is what she says: I am now putting my mind to selling some of the Alzheimer Quilts. I would like to run numerous coffee mornings around Scotland on Saturday 21 September which is World Alzheimers Day. How about you running one, or your quilt group. The money raised at the coffee morning could be sent to Alzheimer Scotland or could be kept for your own group funds. I would send you 50 quilts from the project with certificates stating that they were part of a historical event. Lap quilts are £20, Single bed £40 and double or bigger £80. They would be ideal christmas presents!
Rag Quilting on the site
Question from Laura: i signed up as a member to watch the rest of your video on rag quilting - there was a teaser on youtube. I would like to watch that video but cannot find it on your site. In any case, I've made them before out of flannel, I prefer working with cottons and my question is really, can one make rag quilts out of good quality cottons?
What do I do about the seams?
Question: Good Morning
am trying to gather info on patchwork , am a sewer BUT am very confused as to press to the darker side ? press one row one way & the next the other ? or press open ?
If you can help please I would be very gratefull.
Love your website !