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
Wearable patchwork
Thought you might like to see my waistcoat which I have made using your books – it’s my first one and it took me ages to get going on it but when I actually started I really enjoyed it – I have made a few blunders but have learnt a lot and know what not to do next time!!! Hope you are well and I’m looking forward to your new book coming out.
February 2011 newsletter
Well what a start to the year – according to the experts (and the Daily Mail!) we’ve been through the most depressing weekend BUT we’ve also been through Happy Monday. Apparently last Monday was the day on which we start thinking about our summer break. Well that includes me: two of us have booked to go to the Quilt Show in Alsace in September run by Arena Travel; details are on the Quilt Retreat page of the site https://www.justhands-on.tv/small-ads/category/3/
and I am already savouring the idea of sipping champagne at Kings Cross St.Pancreas prior to departure on the Eurostar!
Threadbangers quilting group raise funds for Help the Heros
The event was : Threadbangers 1st Quilt Show. April 9-10 2011. Heighington Village Darlington Co Durham We had a splendid turn out ,over 500 visited us that weekend. We had, as an added attraction the Richmond (N Yorks) Morris Dancers, and the decorated Wendy House went down a storm, It was acclaimed to be the best event in the village for a long time..