Quatrefois -- or Four Times

Quatrefois quilt block

Since my French language ability dates back to high school (let's just say it was a few years ago ... um ... quite a few..) but I was able to guess that quatrefois means four times. (Actually it should really be two words ... quatre fois ... but this is the world of quiltmaking and we take liberties with words.) So, I can only guess that this quilt block was named Quatrefois as some of the patches are repeated four times. (As a side note, this is quite common in quilt blocks, but who am I to judge about what name is given to a block?)

Anyway, one of the patches in this nine patch block could have been constructed differently, using rectangles and flying geese units, but I thought, just for a change, I would introduce you to the "flip and sew" method for the triangular pieces in those patches. The added bonus of this method is that there are fewer seams, thus reducing bulk.

Common phrases we stole from the French

• Crème de la crème: "the best of the best"


• Au gratin: "with cheese"


• Au jus: "with juice (or gravy)"


• Art nouveau: Style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries


• C'est la vie: "That's life"


• Faux pas: Literally, this means 'false step' but we generally use this phrase to mean that we have made an error.


• Joie de vivre: "joy of life"


• Fait accompli: a "done deal"


• On ne change pas une équipe qui gagne: (I'm guessing that this translation is a "Yogi-ism") "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."


• Mangez bien, riez souvent, aimez beaucoup means: "Eat well, laugh often, love abundantly."

<sub>'Quatrefois' quilt block image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com

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