Fussy cut chickens and comments
 

Here is the result of the chickens which I recently asked advice about fussy cutting. I decided to put them in an attic window since I'd never done one and love the illusion.

I'm posting this photo mainly because, like all my quilts, it's been a learning experience, and I thought I'd mention my problems. Being a self-taught quiltmaker, I learn some...make that many... things the hard way. All but two of my chickens, for instance, appear to be floating in space! If I'd been paying more attention instead of being so caught up in how to sew that Y seam, I could have made sure I put all their feet on the ground. And I struggled with that narrow sashing (called "ledges"). Without the benefit of setting squares, it was difficult to line up the vertical and horizontal sashing ....until I thought to mark the sashing (and it's still not perfect). Also, I was following instructions for attic windows that I found online which said to join 4 little blocks to make a single block instead of sewing them singly in a long row. Without sashing between, that made sense, but next time, using sashing, I think I'd sew rows with sashing between each single chicken block instead of creating that blasted 4-part block with the intersecting sashing. But that's the fun--if you can call it that--of learning by doing!

Anyway, I'm pleased enough with this, my first attic window. I found some beautiful and amazing attic window quilts online and am eager to try another, maybe with a single large scene behind it.

Thanks for looking and commenting, if you care to.
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Cute! Like little chicken coops!

This is just adorable!!! Those chickens are so darn cute :) May I ask where you found this pattern????

jody

I think it's cute! Looks to me like they are just out in the field at differing distances...they don't have to sit on the ledge of the window...Sometimes just letting whimsy take it's course is also a delight to look at. You did great.

Those chickens are hopping and flying. They are adorable! SO much more interesting than if they were all anchored in the same place. Look again - see how happy they are???

That's a cute quilt. I learn something with every quilt, too. Never stop learning.

You could use some green thread and stitch some grass under the chickens if you don't like to see them "floating". Just do a very narrow satin stitch and make "sprigs" of grass along the edges of their feet. Just a suggestion! It is beautiful the way you have made it, regardless.

I think it's a great quilt and looked to see the floating chickens....LOL. But, they didn't appear to me as floating..we are always the most critical of our own work.

Tie some raffia under them and then they are sitting on nests in their Chicken Coop. Whatever you do or don't do, they are very cute. I really like all the dots.

Oh i love so cute

I started my first Attic Windows this weekend and found exactly the same difficulties as you. I think I've re-sewn my horizontal rows at least three times in order to get the verticals to match exactly. Glad I'm not the only one! I love your chickens! The above suggestions for grass or nests are wonderful - either one would be great if the chicken placement really bothers you.

I think it is a lovely quilt. Just think of all you learned while making this quilt. I have been quilting for 15 years and I am still learning - that's how you grow.

Very cute! What a fun quilt! For me, with every quilt I learn something new and I feel like my skills are improving. But isn't it great when it's finally done and you can admire it?

It's a darling quilt!!! I love it! If you hadn't mentioned the "floating" chickens, I would NEVER have noticed!!! F

What a nice quilt. I love chickens and would have never know they were suppose to be on the "ground" if you hadn't mentioned it. The day I make a perfect quilt will never happen and you can drive yourself crazy trying to make one but I prefer to look at my quilting as a way for me to be creative and enjoy myself. Great job.

I love love love it just the way it is. meybe I will make one with cats. LOL

Y-seams & I are not friends, so when I've done Attic Windows, I've done mine with a HFT in the corner insetad... MUCH easier! And the look is the same.

Your quilt is absolutely adorable! I love, love, love it! It's so happy!!!

that is great. I saw a window like this with different pictures and they appilqued on the bottom ledge. you could appilque a couple eggs on one of the ledges. that would be so cute.
you did fantastic. love

think your chickens are very cute

That is one adorable quilt. Good Job!!

I see it as looking out the windows and the chickens are out there in the grass ~ some closer - some farther away. I love it!

Very cute quilt. No one but you would even think the chickens were floating!

how cute they are. It's perfect as it is, at least IMHO

It is VERY cute and a Great job.

That is so cute. I've been saving chicken fabric and patterns. I may have to do this one.

Lynn

Well done ;)

It's adorable!!! I have some of that same chicken fabric and LOVE it!!! :thumbup:

I really like your quilt and personally think it looks better having the chickens placed differently, then it would if they were all placed on the ledge. Just my preference.

Hey, chickens don't sit still so don't fret. it's cute, cute, cute!!!

Too Cluk'in CUTE!

For future reference, before you add the window frames put some blocks up on your working wall with your inserts in the bottom of the window rather than at the top, it might ground the image more.
Darling quilt, well done!

Good idea! But I don't applique....and it doesn't bother me that much. I've decided the "floating" ones are just standing farther back in their cages. ;)

Thanks! And if you mean the fabric, I got it at Wal-Mart. $5.97 a yard, I think. I didn't have a pattern for the quilt, just looked up some online instructions for Attic Windows and used that to know how to do the windows, Y seam, etc. The instructions I found didn't have the sashing or ledges, so I added that the way I usually do sashing. The fussy cut chickens are 4-1/2", the pieces for the window frame (black with white dots and the white with black circles (which I thought looked a little like fencing!) are 2-1/2 by 6-7/8 before the 45 degree cut. Each little chicken block finishes out at 6-1/4". The finished top, with border, is 44-1/2" square.

THANKS! I admit I approached the Y seams with quaking. I considered doing the HST but frankly, THEY are not usually my friends, so I thought I might as well try the Y. I was shocked at how easy they were.

Your quilt is sooooo cute and pretty and well done! The chickens look like they're in their own nesting boxes.

Thanks! This is how I've decided to see it, too. :)

Thanks to everyone for the compliments and comments! I'm grateful to all of you for your suggestions and reassurances, and especially to the person who is also struggling with her attic window sashings. While I'm sorry to hear you are having the same problems, it helps to know I'm not alone!

Marilyn

I rather like them " floating" not so uniform and exact........ much more charming that way to me.... great job

That is darling.