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I've noticed that when I play on the E-string while seated I often hit my leg! Is that something that happens to anyone else? Is there a way around it?
Do not practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong.
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Yea 
You have to sit in a way that doesn't interfere... but I do that all the time as well.. my legs... the table... everything.. 
I've seen some pros play while sitting... had their legs spread and the bow went in between, though I don't know how that would work for girls 
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We played sitting down in the school orchestra all the time. I do not recall spreading my legs apart, and I don’t when sitting during practice (I experience pain in my back standing for any period of time due to a disabling injury) I am pretty sure I angle my legs to avoid bow collisions. I angle my knees to the left. I would assume that any angle that is comfortable and avoids the bow would work.
"Reality is an illusion, albeit a persistent one".- Albert Einstein
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Cearbhael said
We played sitting down in the school orchestra all the time. I do not recall spreading my legs apart, and I don’t when sitting during practice (I experience pain in my back standing for any period of time due to a disabling injury) I am pretty sure I angle my legs to avoid bow collisions. I angle my knees to the left. I would assume that any angle that is comfortable and avoids the bow would work.
Funny that you mention it, since I just sat down after almost throwing my violin away when I finished playing the oh holy night project 2 times in a row while standing... Pain in the back was getting too much and halfway through the second play-through I started focusing on that more than the song..
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Did a quick youtube search, and I guess there really is a youtube video for everything
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World's Okayest Fiddler
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Indeed Mandy! :)) There is a video for everything haha..
Also.. I'm very guilty of the 'I know it's tempting to do this' part from the video :))
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In the past several years, I've developed several issues with my spine that cause the problems that @Cearbhael mentioned, I can't stand long without experiencing leg/back pain, so most of my practicing is done sitting. Occasionally, I end up in the slump posture depicted at one point in the video 
Also, I'm still struggling with shoulder and chin rests so some times my violin tilts too far to the front and that's when I end up hitting my leg.
Bob
Bob in Lone Oak, Texas
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I do most of my playing in orchestras, so I'm usually seated. (I've only ever performed standing once in my life.) I've played both with legs spread apart and with legs together, depending on how much space there is on stage. Either way, my bow doesn't ever go between my legs; it ALWAYS goes to the right of my right leg. When playing in an orchestra, your instrument has to be angled a little more in front of you, to avoid hitting your neighbor, so your bow wouldn't be at an angle to go between your legs anyway.
Your body position definitely matters when sitting. You should be upright or leaning forward slightly, and on the front half of the chair. That should naturally drop your knees a little. It should look as if you're about to jump up out of your seat.
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I had the same problem exactly.
From the very start of learning I always practiced standing up, never sitting down. After about 3 years I decided to go to a beginner's orchestra and thought it would be a good idea to try playing seated before I went, which was just as well because I really struggled to avoid hitting my leg with the bow.
After some frantic googling I found the 'right foot back under the chair' solution was the best.
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We dudes like to sit with our legs more spread and that allows us to bow between our legs without hitting it. I definitely recommend sitting on the edge of your chair and with your back erect. One thing that will help is to angle the violin flatter (horizontal, level) than usual. Especially when playing on the E string.
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