I have always found these so difficult! Is it a common problem for violinists or is it me? I wish that my fingers where less chubby!

I don't know about other violinists, I can only speak for myself but I always found the chromatic scales to be the easiest ones of all and in fact the ones where my teacher never picks on me at all (tell a lie, I think he picked on me ONCE, but this is like nothing compared on how he picks on me almost all the time on everything else or at least it feels like he picks on me almost all the time ).

I can't even tell you why I find them easy, I always have, guess my fingers just know how far to go for a semitone, wish they knew how far to go for everything else but they don't

so far have done chromatics up to approximately grade 6 with my teacher, grade 8 on my own at home (he has not asked me for the grade 8 ones yet)

I am sure some of the teachers on here will soon reply to you and let you know if they are supposed to be 'tricky' and give you some suggestions

How do you finger them? Do you do 1-2-1-2-3-4 or 1-1-2-2-3-4?

Try the other fingering and see if this helps.

Exactly what I was going to suggest. A lot of people find chromatics easy because there is no having to remember tone/semi-tone patterns. But that doesn't make the intonation easy. Obviously it's tricky without seeing your fingers, but make sure your nails are super-short. This gives you the best possible chance of planting your finger tips on the fingerboard rather than the pads of your fingers, and you should be able to get them closer together. As you progress you will find you have to do this anyway when you get up into the higher positions, as the intervals are much closer together when you're playing up in the stratosphere.

Again, difficult to say without seeing them whether the size of your fingers is encumbering you. Your teacher is far better placed to say, but as you have achieved Grade 4 I would be surprised if he/she suddenly decided that it may be a problem for you. There are some huge men who play the violin to a high standard - go to a concert by any orchestra and you will probably see some. On the other hand I have come across one or two (literally only one or two) viola players whose teachers had noted at an early stage that finger size might pose a problem on the violin and suggested that they try viola. Have you thought about giving the viola a whirl (regardless of what your teacher says about your fingers)? It's a beautiful instrument!

I find the same, is this an acceptable excuse for not practicing them?

I find they are just not that interesting really! I imagine this will change in higher positions though.

I use the 1-1-2-2-3-4 method, my fingers are long but not fat (I think )

That was very useful! I have just tried the 1 1 2 2 3 4 fingerings and they are so much easier. Thank you all so much. I had thought about trying the viola as I will have more chance of playing string quartets with that than with the violin. Violas are thin on the ground here. C clef though. Not too sure I can manage that.

that is the fingering I have also been using by the way...

It's interesting how fingering preferences differ. I'm a violist and I find 121234 SO much easier... maybe it has to do with having smaller fingers and a larger instrument, so the sliding is harder to make accurate?

I think you'd be surprised. You're sufficiently advanced on violin to have plenty of transferable skills. To start off with, reading alto clef is a little like reading treble clef on violin in 3rd position. If you love the instrument, you'll work it out. If you don't really like it, then stick with what you know you love!

Funny enough, I too find 121234 easier, but when I player violin I always did the other fingering. (Although that was probably because I was young and just did what my teacher said without questioning it!)