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
9/11 and all that
Val: I was in Canada on this anniversary date and as was only to be expected the tv airwaves were full of the memorial services being held. I was fascinated to learn of a memorial quilt that has been made in honour of those who were on Flight 93 in Pennsylvania and this is and will continue to be on display in the chapel there; it is a mixture of pictures and patchwork and you can see more at www/911memorialquilts.com
Fashion avec Front!
Jennie: At long last we have got some pics from the Fashion show at the Festival of Quilts. All of us are eagerly awating the video because it was such a special occasion. such a pity that none of us spoke any Russian other than 'Hello' which works in most languages and 'Niet' and 'Dosvidana' and 'Spasiba' - for those who are not multi-lingual - that is 'No', 'Goodbye' and 'Thank you' plus I could manage 'Vot on' which loosely translated means 'Here is.
Festival of Quilts 2010 – day 4
Val: A day to remember I think; Jennie was busy teaching and I met the boys from Bizview.tv at 8.45 with their entry passes. Hubby was drafted in to cope with selling Jennie's books on her stand as well as membership to Justhands-on.tv complete with golfing hat - I have to say he did well!! (not sure I'll get him to do it again, not because he did anything wrong; more about now he knows what he's in for!!!) Manning a stand is a constant with so many visitors, but I have to say you are all so lovely and you did treat him kindly - including the lady whose credit card he wrecked (I am SO sorry!!!) The Bizview.tv team and I had a wonderful day filming exhibitions for you to enjoy as well as a few quilts that I just stopped infront of because they spoke to me. We were thrilled to speak to Pauline Ineson who won the P&Q Traditional Quilt category (she had her own little booth there so we stole her away for a few minutes). More info on what we got up to in the newsletter.