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Vendulka Battais: An inspiring textile artist moving with the times

50 min • 26 maj 2021

Vendulka Battais is a textile artist, quilter, embroiderer and designer who started her creative journey making clothes with her mum in the Czech Republic. She learnt simple patchwork when she moved to the UK and was looking for a new hobby!

Vendulka shares her fabulous story of where that early interest in patchwork took her. It's a story of creativity and of making opportunities and of taking action. From squares and triangles, Vendulka's work has evolved into quilting and embroidery, and a love of circular patterns inspired by mandalas and dream-catchers. Her love of teaching shines through with in-person classes and her new range of online video courses too.

Susan Weeks chats with Vendulka about:

Coming out of covid lockdown and wondering what's next.
Her dream of creating on demand online video classes.
It's a whole new set of skills creating an online course.
If you don't have guidance then you need plenty of time for trial and error!
Investing effort into creating an on-demand online course is creating future income
Habits have changed and online courses are now seen as a great way of learning and networking
Running her fabric & haberdashery shop in Suffolk
Starting her creative adventure with simple patchwork and quilting
Starting a group which encourages designers to share their patterns and a central place to buy patterns from
Connecting designers / creators with makers
Being inspired by a 'stairway to heaven'
Wanting to turn her hobby into a business and support her family
Learning how to run a shop
Celebrating 10 years as a shop business owner
It's OK to improve over time... Just Start!
Learning how to create with what you have
The meditative effect of free motion quilting
Glow in the dark fabric mandalas