A Patchwork of Talent: The Many Crafts of Romla Thomas

Here’s how age has added wings to the many hobbies of septuagenarian Romla Thomas, who embroiders, quilts and bakes mouthwatering cakes.

Who says age takes away one’s passion and purpose and leaves a lot of time with nothing to do? Ask Romla Thomas, 76, who still has many irons in the fire. This homemaker is the queen of applique and patchwork and also a great baker. Her winters are loaded with cake orders and for the rest of the year, her handcrafted quilts, table linens and wall hangings that boast of beautiful applique and patchwork are always in high demand. 

Thomas has lost count of how many applique and patchwork projects she has done until now.

“I have been doing patchwork for about 40 years now. I started with a few bed quilts and then got an order for a small hotel in Bangalore that wanted me to work on 400 quilts. At that time I had five other helping hands at home and that’s how my passion got a purpose. I delivered the order, successfully. And since then, I have always worked from home. Initially, I just pieced quilts together and after some time, I started adding appliques. Now, I mostly work on table linens and wall hangings and I do all the work by myself. I have been having exhibitions periodically.”

Thomas is also a home baker and Christmas cakes are her speciality. “At Christmas time I do a lot of baking, especially the Xmas plum cake. November end to Christmas is a very busy time for me. While my target remains as 100 kgs of cake every year, I often do go over that,” she tells us. No fancy baking equipment for her. “I do everything with a small food processor and a small domestic oven,” says Thomas. 

Thomas is an ardent supporter of home run business and believes social media could be a very productive platform to showcase products. “Facebook and WhatsApp have been great ways of getting people to see the works of those who are not into commercial production and those who find it comfortable to work from home at their own pace and time as me. Since I am a dog lover with a keen interest in dog shows and had too many four-legged babies at home to look after, I never wanted to go out of my home to work on my passion and social media came to my help as a platform to showcase my works,” she says. 

Being busy with her bakes and craft has been an advantage for  Thomas as she grew older. “I am so grateful that I have these hobbies. Otherwise, I would have gone crazy during the lockdown. Since my children are not here, it is wonderful to be completely occupied with my hobbies.” Age is not a barrier for Thomas who works on her quilts for at least 6 to 8 hours a day. 

Thomas has some simple tips for beginners who would like to try their hands on applique works and baking. “For applique, you will need a good machine. I don't do any handwork at all. Starting a project and finishing fast is my aim. Baking is a very happy occupation. Follow recipes that have been tried out. Have a decent small oven in your kitchen. Take out all the required ingredients and then just go at it. You don't want to miss out on anything while you are baking the cake,” she says. 

Thomas believes that working on your hobbies does not depend on your age. Instead, giving your hobbies a purpose is the best way to age gracefully and happily. In case you already have a hobby or a small venture you run from home, please do share your experience with Silver Talkies as we work every day to add fuel to your dreams. 

Mail us on connect@silvertalkies.com with your stories.

All images courtesy Romla Thomas unless credited otherwise.