Christine 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 young boys and works part time as a pharmacist, she strives to regularly set aside time in which to quilt.
Christine Baker publishes her own quilt designs under the name "Fairfield Road Designs". Now in its fourth year of business, the patterns available from "Fairfield Road Designs" range from fusible applique to pieced projects, felted wool applique and most recently punchneedle. Projects include wall-hangings, lap quilts, table runners, tote bags and pillows. Christine's "Changing Seasons" quilt series reflects the feel of different seasons. This enables the quilter to create a seasonal display in the home by changing the hanging quilt to match the time of year. With the newly added "Happy Haunting", the "Changing Seasons" series now includes eight different designs.
Christine loves designing with felted wool and has an assortment of different applique patterns to try. "Beautiful Blooms" and "Nighttime Flurries" are lovely tablerunners, Tulip Bouquet and A+ Teacher are wall banners and Door Decor" features 6 designs for small doorknob hangers all in one package! All of the felted wool projects are easy to complete even for beginners.
Christine's newest obsession is miniature punchneedle embroidery. Her first designs were based on some of her fusible applique patterns and feature miniature versions of her popular Changing Seasons quilts. Her newest designs include Leaping Lamb, Peak-a-Boo, Under the Sea and Field of Sunflowers. All of Christine's punchneedle patterns include a square of weaver's cloth and directions for finishing the embroidery into an ornament, a wall quilt, a wool penny rug or a wool wall banner.
Three years ago, Christine and Nellie Holmes started their own publishing company, Upper Canada Quiltworks Publishing Company. They co-wrote and self-published their first book "Rag Bags" and released it in the spring. 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. Last summer Christine self-published her own book entitled Fresh and Fun Punchneedle which features 10 punchneedle designs incorporated into six bright and cheerful quilted projects.
Christine has had patterns featured in "British Patchwork and Quilting" and in "The Canadian Quilter" magazine. She and Nellie have 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.
Email: Christine of Fairfield Road Designs
