TaraW

Hi Ladies!

I am trying my first "snowball" pattern quilt. I'm using the first photo/website link below for my design/inspiration. The problem is--when I cut all the corners off the squares, then re-sew mis-matched corners back on to the octagon to re-make the "square"...the corners are too small creating a mess of a square that's all not fit to quilt with.

Am I supposed to now TRIM the "square" down, making it square again? What am I doing wrong? I'm thinking there's no real way to make this work without trimming it waaaaaaay down after re-sewing on the corners. Hummm.....

Snowball quilt image
Snowball Quilt instructions i'm TRYING to follow

Image of my messed up attempt at this (feel free to laugh hysterically...)

thanks for the help!!
My background: This is only the 2nd quilt I've ever made. The first was just a very simple square pattern/BASIC quilt I made for my baby nephew. This snowball one is meant for my mom! I've never sewed before in my whole life before this so take it easy on me! My only experience is going to the local Beverly's on craft nights to learn how to thread my machine and learn very basic quilting skills.

Here is a photo of the 1st quilt I completed for my nephew!
Julian's Quilt Image

QuiltE

A simple fix here ... DO NOT cut any corners til you sew!

Take the 2-1/2" square and draw a diagonal line across the square.
Set the square on top of the corner of your larger square that will become the snowball.
Stitch on the line.
Then after you cut the excess off, leaving 1/4" for the seam.

If the small square has set squarely on the large square as you sewed, once you flip the piece over and press it, you should have a square corner.

Continue on for all four corners!

Good Luck!! ...

Grandma Bonnie

Are you cutting the corners off before you sew? You should sew the 2 1/2" squares on the corners and then trim.

YukonViv

Listen to QuiltE! You do not cut your snowball corners off before sewing the new corners on. check out the images on this page, they may help. http://www.straw.com/quilting/articles/snowball1.html

TaraW

OH NO I ALREADY CUT THE CORNERS ALL OFF! ahhhhhhhhhhh!!

Scissor Queen

If you only trim out the middle layer on the corners if your folded corners aren't perfect it won't be a big deal.

appliquequiltdesigns

Here is a video from the Missouri Quilt Co on how to make the Snowball block

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfdD4...=youtube_gdata

auntpiggylpn

Check out this pictorial tute on making snowball blocks. I think it will help http://www.cluckclucksew.com/2009/08...all-block.html

TaraW

Oh my gosh I feel like such a fool!! Thanks so much for the youtube video it all makes so much sense now......what am i going to do now!!! =( =( =(

Lillymolly

I looked at your pattern and the instructions are to cut the 2 1/2 inch squares from the indicated fabrics, sew them to the corners and then do the trimming. You should not trim the corners of the large square before attaching the smaller ones to the corners. Hope this helps!