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
December 2010 newsletter
This weekend (Dec 3rd/4th) the whole of the UK seems to be covered in white snow making it look like pictures from Christmas cards – however if you are having to deal with it, either by travelling or shovelling – we do hope you are managing to stay safe and warm. Stay indoors and enjoy Justhands-on.tv! With Christmas fast approaching we appreciate that time is of the essence but there is still time to be creative and we have a few quick-to-make workshops for you to enjoy as well as some super films.
Basket quilt helps student make her bed
This stunning quilt made by Jennie with the basket motives has so inspired her daughter that apparently the bed now gets made on a daily basis! I'm not surprised Jennie - I would love to look at this too - well done.