Snowballing Tip

[DebbieDoodle]

Would this be the same as using a scant 1/4"? I'm directionally impaired. Since I have never done the snow ball technique, I didn't know if that side is the same side as when you move your needle over for the scant.

[Kgrammiecaz]

Is it possible anyone due to thread thickness? Has anyone tried smaller thread? I wonder if this would help. I will have to try this for myself.

It is because of the thread. I use 50wt. No matter the thread it will still take up a small bit of space. So to make the fold better, sewing over one thread width helps.

Deegles, yes it is sort of equivalent to a scant 1/4 inch

[JCY]

In my quilting class I was taught to stitch the width of the needle beside the press, or marking, line when snowballing, not right on the line. It works well for me that way. The same is true when making flying geese. It always pay to square every time to make sure everything is the same & will match up ok. When doing that Diamond Rail Fence, it helps to press the seams in the opposite directions so those center diamonds match up better.

[Marty]

This is an older post but I want to say thank you. I am working on a Diamond Fence Rail quilt with additional 1.5" corners. I am getting so frustrated.

[Suzette]

I take this one step further and draw the line a smidge off to the right instead of perfectly on the diagonal. That way I can still stitch right on the line and be over that tiny little bit that makes for a perfect snowball block.

I know some quilters don't mark their squares for snowballing, but I almost always do and this has worked well for me.

[nativetexan]

Yep, I always do them the way you did! works well.

[sottwell]

Since my Bernina lets me shift the position of the needle, I always shift it to the right one step when sewing any kind of bias seam, especially when snowballing. That way I can just follow the line whether pressed or marked. The only drawback is to remember to shift it back to center before stitching straight seams afterwards.

Another tip is to stitch again about half an inch to the outside of the main stitch line, then cut between the stitching. That gives you a small half-square triangle for every snowball corner. These make great borders and sashing, either as a sawtooth or pinwheels or hourglass blocks.

[JCY]

Snowballing is not my favorite thing to do. I figured out on my own, that sewing on the line did not work for me. I sew ~1 needle width off the line. When making flying geese or snowballing, I have used Donna Jordan's tip of leaving the fabric in place to press before trimming off the triangle. That way you know for sure the corner is going to be square. Yes, this is an old tutorial, as you can tell by a younger Jenny & a different studio set-up & equipment. This tutorial was the first pattern I made after joining M*. I used FQs from my stash. In order to get a full 6.5" width on the 3 strips, I found I needed to sew a very scant 1/4".

[sydneybean]

I also don't trim off the corners till I have pressed the corner back. I want to make sure I have enough.

[cv quilter]

I have recently discovered that my laser beam on my BabyLock Destiny would make it SEW much easier. Oh My, love my LB.