FRD - Fairfield Road Designs - Christine Baker

Christine Baker graduated from the faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto in 1993. After years of scientific study, she craved a creative outlet and began quilting in 1996. A few years and many classes later, she is still in love with quilting. Even though she is now the mother of two teen aged boys and works part time as a pharmacist, she strives to regularly set aside time in which to quilt.

Christine publishes her own quilt designs under the name "Fairfield Road Designs". Now in its twelfth year of business, the patterns available range from fusible applique to pieced projects, felted wool applique and punchneedle embroidery. Projects include wall-hangings, lap quilts, bed quilts, table runners, tote bags, penny rugs and pillows.

Christine loves designing with felted wool both on it's own and incorporating it into her miniature punchneedle designs. Her punchneedle patterns all feature directions for finishing the embroidery into either an ornament, a wall quilt, a wool penny rug or a wool wall banner. Christine has also self-published her own book entitled Fresh and Fun Punchneedle which features 10 punchneedle designs incorporated into six bright and cheerful quilted projects.

A few years ago, Christine and Nellie Holmes started their own publishing company, Upper Canada Quiltworks Publishing Company. The first year they co-wrote and self-published their first book "Rag Bags" which was a great success! This popular book contains 12 projects for tote bags all made using the rag quilting technique. The next year the pair followed with their second book "Rag-a-Muffins," a collection of projects to make for kids. This cute book is full of fusible applique and rag quilting projects and is laced with charming little stories about the authors' children. They also have a line of patterns that they have designed together - all of which can be found on the "Upper Canada Quiltworks Publishing" page.

Christine has had patterns featured in many magazines such as "British Patchwork and Quilting", "Primitive Quilts and Projects", "A Needle Pulling Thread", "Create and Decorate" and "Quilts and More by American Patchwork and Quilting". She and Nellie have also had projects featured in "McCall's Quick Quilts", "Applique Quilts", "Australian Homespun" and many projects featured in "Quilter's World" magazine. The June 2007 issue of Quilter's World had a feature story on the three designers at Upper Canada Quiltworks as well as a wool project from Nellie and Christine and a punchneedle article and project by Christine.