I am covering a ball shape with fondant and am having issues with it folding and cracking. I know the cracking is from not enough shortening but how do I go about fixing the folding without totally screwing it up and ending up just pulling it all off? TIA!

the cracking you might be able to use some crisco to smooth it out, or a very tiny bit of water, what kind of folding do you mean as you progress down the ball? i've never covered a ball, i have done some odd shapes like with cakes i pull out and smooth it down and i just keep doing it until my excess is all the way down, i do cut my excess as i'm going around to decrease wrinkles, is your ball sitting on something i'll give you a bump

Put it on top of something small when you lay the fondant. It will help avoid all the folds.