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 Now Readers’ Makes Competition Winner – Issue 65
Quilt Now magazine love to see what their readers have been making. This months Star Make winner for Issue 65, was Alison.She renamed Sarah Ashford’s quilt from issue 61 to Hearts and Kisses and made a colourful wedding gift for her niece. The hearts and kisses are pieced with characterful fabric designed by her friend and designer Amanda Jane Ogden!! Congratulations Alison, and enjoy your year's subscription with justhands-on.tv
Book of the Month September 2019 : Nicki Trench Color Block Knits
This month, our Book of the Month is coming specially from the publishers. This is why you can find the details here in the Blog and not in our usual Shop. This is the new book from Nicki Trench - Colour Block Knits. It is bursting full of 35 beautiful projects with Nicki Trench's vibrant knitting patterns. We have it at a special price of £10 for the book and you will get free P&P in the UK.
Subscriber Giveaway for September 2019 – Rose Trellis cushion pattern from Sylvia Critcher
Sorry the competition is now closed. The pattern is available in the Shop