Snoballs
Snoballs in New Orleans City Park
Snoballs, the perfect summertime quilt pattern is available for purchase!
Louisianians love our snoballs. If I were to guess, I’d say it’s because the summer months get so hot and so humid that a cup full of ice is the only way to survive outside. Growing up in Zachary, Louisiana, my family had a very specific snoball stand we would go to. Sno-Depot was right next to the railroad track that ran through town and, to this day, every time I smell creosote, I am brought back to eating bubblegum or root beer flavored snoballs under a pecan tree beside the train tracks.
I created Snoballs as a way to capture that summer in a quilt. I’ve graduated past ordering Bubblegum flavor, and I don’t think Sno-Depot exists anymore but I still love a good snoball on a hot summer’s day. As soon as the summer clothes come out and the days start getting longer, it’s snoball season. My husband and I often like to take a break from adulting and swing by one of many snoball stands in the area. Chris likes to split his half-root beer and half-ice cream. I like to go with wedding cake, or maybe amaretto (primarily because they are clear and I won’t stain my clothes when I inevitably spill).
When creating this quilt, it was important for my snoballs to have the iconic cone shape instead of a simple half-circle. To achieve the unique shape without Foundation Paper Piecing, this pattern uses a combination of traditional piecing and templates. I plan to create an FPP option in the future, but for my second pattern, I wanted to keep in more accessible for those whose repertoire does not include FPP. It is also not my favorite technique due to the mess and excess fabric.
Any good snoball stand will have multiple size options, so it was important to me to incorporate that into this pattern. The four sizes in Snoballs (Kiddie, Small, Medium, and Large) require many different pieces. These characteristics make Snoballs great for the advanced beginner. It has options of four sizes, Wall Hanging, Baby, Throw, and Bed, and has a variety of versions. For a more uniform look, use yardage; Or go for a scrappy look with scraps, fat quarters, or 10” squares. The variety of snoball sizes and the ease of interchanging them, makes Snoballs an excellent pattern for going off-script, taking liberties, and making it your own.
Snoballs is only the second pattern I have released, and the first time I used pattern testers. It has been such an exciting experience watching my design come to life in the hands of other people! I am so very grateful to my pattern testers who did an amazing job creating their own Snoball quilt tops. A very sincere “Thank You!!!” to Emily Brett, Lu Buller (mom), Sammy Dahlstrom, Beth Gude, Hilary Jordan, Emily McClintock, Linda Meyette, Katarina Pearson, and Bojana Pejic! Their hard work and talent went to making this pattern even better. You can see samples of some of their work below. And a special “thank you” to Kacey Crutchfield for tech editing services, whose attention to detail is super human. You can inquire into Kacey’s quilty services at here. Lastly, I want to thank my Designated Quilt Holder and husband, Chris for all the pictures he helped me capture.
If you want a fun summertime quilt, Snoballs is perfect for you! Purchase it today!