Wednesday, October 5, 2016

My Swiss Heritage and Cuckoo Clocks

   
 Have you ever seen the Quilt Shop Cuckoo Clock?

Jodie Davis, author and host of Quilt Out Loud! has designed these beautiful cuckoo clocks with a quilt shop theme just for quilters. These are authentic, high quality clocks made in Germany by the Schneider Cuckoo Clock Company and I am now offering this clock on the Jillily Studio website!

When the clock strikes on the hour, the quilter's arm moves to rotary cut fabric, the cat jumps on the bolt of fabric, a chimney sweep comes out of the chimney, and of course, a bird pops out to cuckoo!

You can even personalize the color of the quilter's hair or change the kitty to a dog. 


Click this link for information about your very own Quilt Shop Cuckoo Clock!


These cuckoo clocks are fun for me because I have Swiss heritage. In fact, a few years ago, I designed a fabric line, Elizabeth's Letters, which featured a letter written in 1898 by my Swiss great-grandmother to her daughter, Margaritha, when she was leaving Switzerland to come to America. The letter is written in high German, so I can't actually read it, but I have the translation and the words are special to me. 

Part of the letter reads:

German script fabric in red
"Memory and farewell words from your never forgetting mother...My dear child, take these few lines with you as you travel. Be an example to your brothers and sisters, as the oldest daughter... Never forget your parents who raised you with tender care. Pray for thoe ones who stay behind that they can follow soon...Now goodbye, my dear child. I wish you happiness and God's blessings throughout your life's journey...In memory from your mother....Farewell my dear child..."

The fabric has been out for a few years, but if you happen to see it in a shop, you'll know what the script means.


This summer, my daughter and her family were able to take a trip to Switzerland to visit the home that Margaritha left to come to America. The house and property are still a working farm today! Even the old "cheese house" where their family made cheese is being used as living quarters. It was a neat experience for them to be able to visit the house and I hope that I will be able to visit it one day as well! 

1 comment:

Judy1522 said...

I missed reading this blog post in October (missed a few days of blog reading) and so didn't see this post until now. I am half Swiss and have always loved cuckoo clocks. For my parents 25th wedding anniversary my siblings and I pooled our money and bought them a cuckoo clock which my sister now has. Back when we bought it the price was well under $100. I absolutely love the quilting cuckoo clock so am hoping sometime to be able to buy it. But a trip to Switzerland may be coming first. Our family still has relatives there in the town my father lived in and my cousins who know them well have promised we can go with them when they go again. I am going to send them a link to the clock, I am sure they will love it.