Quilt Block Tutorial: Snowball Block
If you are following along and making the "Wristwatch" quilt; here are your cutting instructions for the Snowball blocks in this quilt. If not...this is just a tutorial you can use to add to your quilty skills tool box.
Cutting Instructions:
Focal fabric (center of snowball blocks)- cut (2) 5 1/2" x width-of fabric (WOF) strips, then sub-cut (10) 5 1/2" squares.
Accent fabric (corners of snowball blocks)- cut (3) 2 1/2" x width-of-fabric (WOF) strips, then sub-cut (40) 2 1/2" squares.
Background (border of snowball block)- cut (8) 3" x width-of-fabric (WOF) strips, then sub-cut (20) 3" x 5 1/2" rectangles and (20) 3" x 10 1/2" rectangles.
We will start with one 5 1/2" square and four 1 1/2" corner squares. The more contrast between these two the better.
Using a marking tool...draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of the fabric on your 2 1/2" squares, then line them up with the four corners of the 5 1/2" square.
Stitch along the line. These blocks come out better if you actually stitch just a tiny bit to the outside of the line; a scant 1/4 inch. That means it is just a thread's width skinnier. Why??? When you press open the seam you lose just a little fabric in the fold.
Trim the four corners leaving a 1/4" seam.
Press open and Voila! Our snowballs are done. Now, we need to border them with our background fabric.
Layout your block. Add shorter pieces first to the top and bottom of your snowball block. Then add the side borders.
You will need 10 of these blocks and your finished block should measure 10 1/2" square.
Now, get to Snowballin!
Keep it Sassy!
♥♥♥♥♥
"Wristwatch" Quilt was designed and created for Bear Creek Quilting Company by Paula of The Sassy Quilter
Fabric used in this tutorial is from Home and Heart by Yuko Hasegawa for RJR Fabrics and Shadow Play by Maywood Studios.
Do you love free fabric? Do you love to teach? Want to be a contributor on our blog? Send us an email at web@bearcreekquiltingcompany.com to get started!