This is my first tute so please bear with me. I had enough questions about my selvage and crazy chickens that I felt it would be better to make a tute rather than answer everybody individually. I’m not claiming to the basic design of the chicken itself that honor goes to the late Doreen Speckmann and her Norwegian Chicken pattern. Her original pattern was for 3” log cabin blocks with 1/2” logs, very small felt beak and comb and a seed bead for the eyes. Cute, but not nearly the pizazz I like nowadays. My love of selvages & pincushions begat the birth, umm… hatching, of my wild & funky chickens.

Step 1: The Body
This batch is 3-1/2” squares making a 2-1/2” tall chicken when finished. Any size or type of squares can be used, selvages, crazy, log cabin, or any other square pattern. I make 6” square selvage chickens for my guild friends, not only are these chickens huge, but what character!!

Step 2: The Beak
I had a bunch of 1-3/8” yellow squares, so that’s what I used. A little larger square might be easier to work with 1-1/2” is really minimum. I make a double beak for larger birds, 2 beak assemblies nested looking like an open beak, but little chicks only need a single beak. Baste to top corner of body square approx. 1/2 from corner.

Sorry to bother anyone, but I am not getting the whole instructions-am I missing something?

Sorry, I'm working on a real slow connection & having trouble with getting the next steps to upload. Patience is a virtue.

I only can see the first two steps

Step 3: The Comb or topknot
My favorite is fancy fur yarn. Extremely messy but great attitude! I started using fancy fur because that what I had laying around at the time, so look around & maybe try sometime else. Improvising is the way to creativity. Wrap 10 times around a 1-3/4” wide card for 2 topknots. Adding metallic embroidery thread for 2 or 3 wraps adds to the attitude. Gently slide wrapped yarn off card & under your pressure foot, stitch across and back a few times. Zigzag works even better, but Matilda doesn’t do the zigzag.. lol. Sew well to top corner of body square approx. 1/2 inch from corner.

Step 4: Body Assembly
Stitch the body squares together taking care to keep the topknot away from your stitching.

Step 5: The Tail
Again, adjust sizes up or down to suit your preferences. For larger birds I like to add fancy fur to the top of the tail.

Fourth & final body seam: Match top & bottom seams, slide tail in, centering & pin. Sew across, this creates the triangular shape. I’ve found 1-1/2 inches opening makes the turning much easier.

Finishing: Clip corners and “birth” your chick through the opening you left in the bottom seam. I’ve found if you start with the head, gentle on the topknot please, the tail will follow easily.
Accessorize: These girls have 5 mm beads for eyes. Maybe buttons or tiny yo-yo’s?? A final haircut is completely optional.

Last, but not Least: The Stuffing
Fill firmly with uncooked white rice and stitch closed. The addition of a bay leaf for bug prevention has been suggested. It couldn’t hurt and she should smell good. Crushed walnut shells are another good pincushion filling but they tend leave a brown “staining” around the opening if you don’t take a lot of care when filling. I love the weight & feeling of the walnut shells. Do not buy these from a sewing supply, there are way overpriced. Buy at a pet or feed store. Sure, you’ll probably have to buy a 25 lb. bag like I did, but sharing it with your guild friends makes you very popular.
I hope you’ll enjoy making these funky chickens as much as I do.

I am the proud owner of a few of her 'hatchlings'... and I !!! they are as cute as can be...

:!: Thinking of using felt in place of your feathers & making a comb, thus turning it into a rooster. My sister in law would love it. thanks for the instructions :thumbup:

Very nice. Thanks for the tutorial.

Great tutorial!

thanks for the great tute!! i have to make one of these!!

Very cute, love the use of fun fur yarn!

Love your funky chickens,. I have made these before but never the funky ones. :)

Love your funky chickens........thank you for the great tutorial!

Great tute. I will save it for reference later.

Great tute. Thanks.

Those are just too darn cute! Thanks for sharing..

Terrific tutorial and a very cute pin cushion. I did a project with that yarn last year at Thanksgiving and while it looked great I will never touch the stuff again.

You gave us a very clear tutorial for these funky chickens! Thank you so much for your time and effort! I have to make some of these...tooo cute!!!! :):)

Thank you sew much! I've got my first one, thanks to you (sorry, forgot to get those selvedges in the mail, but will do it this week). Now I can make a flock for friends.

Cute tutorial

You did a great job, cute chick for sure!

Thank you for sharing! :-)

Thank you!!!!

Thanks for the tut and this is darling!!

This funky chicken is so cute! Thanks for a great tutorial! I have another project on my list of "to do's"!

Thanks

You did a terrific tute. And your hens are adorable/.

Thank you. I hope to make a flock in time for the holidays!

thanks--excellent tut.

thanks for taking the time for the tute they are so cute but I would prefer to buy them do you sell?

Thanks!

Thank you for another great idea for selvages.

I put my chickens on a nest of raffia then glue securely to the top of a glass candle stick as an option. Moosegirl

Thank you sew much for the great tutorial. I am going on a quilt retreat next month and the Chic's will be a great gift for my Peep's.