There are 24 hen blocks (I've done 11), 6 flower blocks, 4 hen house blocks, 1 fox block, and 1 rooster block.   So, I have a ways to go yet.  When done, all of the blocks get assembled without sashing into a 6x6 block grid.  There are 2 slab-o-borders and a final scrappy "brick" border.

All in all, it's an easy top to make.  As for the quilting .. well ... that's always another story.  To be sure, I'll SITD around the applique shapes. 

But then, I'm at a loss.  Should I do a meander (which I really don't like) ... or maybe a ribbon meander (which looks better and I don't mind doing)? 

Maybe simple, irregularly spaced horizontal lines from one side to the other?  that would tie all the blocks together and be very easy.  I'm all about easy, ya know.

I know I have a photo of a finished sample from a quilt store ... I'll need to examine that closely .... hoping that my photo came out clearly.

Thankfully, I can defer those decisions for quite a while. :-)

It would look cute with chicken wire quilting....but I bet that is hard to do!!

Nope, not hard if you like to do pantograph work.  Here's a no-brainer pantograph for sale on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/801729387/chicken-wire-continuous-line-pantograph?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_b-craft_supplies_and_tools-patterns_and_how_to-patterns_and_blueprints&utm_custom1=cb24673a-5a58-4a61-b9c8-f1e1d20e5781&utm_content=go_1730742136_73428765808_337577582871_aud-459688891595:pla-322726483858_c__801729387&utm_custom2=1730742136&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhvf6BRCkARIsAGl1GGilsex_7AmjZOu26cifA0P1HOj3ThdT8ok-NzYo6XQ6Cw0wrcdE9SgaArzAEALw_wcB

That *IS* a very easy panto to do!  Very clever how the squiggle back up the vertical line instead of strictly back-tracking, which could be difficult (and time consuming!) to do properly.  But, by doing a squiggle line, the need to back-track precisely on the previously stitched line is completely eliminated.  AND it gives a certain visual variety.

The only thing I wonder about is the scale ... would the printed size work well with my top.  However, I see that it is a digital download but NOT a digital stitch-out.   She includes various sizes of the chicken wire, so that I"m sure one would be the appropriate scale.

The other thing I wonder about is ... I don't want to stitch over the appliques.  I really dislike that look.  So, if I was using a pantograph (any pantograph, not specifically this one), I would need to know WHEN to stop stitching, move over the applique and resume the pattern.  That's easy enough to do if one has a digital quilting package on the longarm but I don't.  My quilting is just me.  It would be HORRIBLE to need to continally look up from the panto to see where the stitching was in relation to the applique.

However, it occurs to me that I could use a hexagon template for the quilting instead of the panto.  Then, I'd be quilting from the front of the frame, which I prefer, instead of from the back.

That's a good, viable choice, Judy.  Thanks for bringing it to my attention.   I had been leaning towards irregularly spaced horizontal lines with tufts of grass at the chicken's feet but this is definitely something to think about.  :-)

Well, I guess I got your mental gears whirling, didn't I? 

I was thinking about HUGE chicken wire that kinda casually haphazardly framed the girls (just like it would in real life) but if you don't want to stitch over the appliques  then that is your "rule" and you can certainly stick with it.

You have plenty of time to ponder your options and I'm glad I could contribute something to "peck at". 

I think there are now enough to call them a flock! They sure are cute.

Definitely work from the front of the quilt. You could mark a grid with some kind of removable pen and do a bit practice on paper first.

How about a chicken wire cross hatch?  You could do point to point to get the hexagon shape and wouldn't really matter if you got off a little bit here or there.

Ok, never mind.  I'm really late to this party LOL

You are making good progress on those chicks.  How many will there be?