Asian Animals - Out of Asia
Come on safari with Embroidery Library this week and create embroidery art to honor the wildlife of Asia. Classic scroll designs feature some of the world's favorites: majestic tiger, giant pandas, and proud peacock, each digitized and sewn with colors that were inspired by the beautiful watercolor scrolls from Japan and China. Triptych designs feature an animal in three poses, along with characteristics of the creature. These designs position well on bags, shirt fronts, towels, and are also quite lovely as a framed piece to accent an Asian-themed room. Distinctive medallion designs represent the circle and balance of life, with a two-color scheme, and graceful, sloping design. Plus, animal frames, and a new jacketback featuring Asia's exotic and beautiful creatures! Hear the roar of the tiger, and the call of the wild - enjoy the new designs!
On scroll or screen, wildlife comes alive in these scroll designs, reminiscent of the watercolor style found in Japan and China.
This scroll design depicts a tiger stalking during the night. The design brings to mind the famous poem by William Blake: "Tiger, tiger burning bright in the darkness of the night, What immortal hand or eye Could frame thy fearful symmetry?"
The peacock, known for the metallic green "eyes" of its magnificent outspread tail, is a significant symbol for many cultures around the world. In Hinduism, Indra, the god of thunder, rains, and war, was depicted in the form of a peacock. In Christianity, the peacock is a symbol of the Resurrection.
Available in two sizes: 4.42"X 9.40" and 3.24"X 6.87"
Available in two sizes: 4.43"X 9.38" and 3.25"X 6.87"
Everyone knows and loves the panda, even though the black and white bear is a rare sight. Few in number, pandas lead a secret life in misty forests in the central mountain ranges of China. Their comical expressions, striking coloration, and human-like way of sitting up to eat their steady diet of bamboo have endeared them to us. And, in turn, we have made them the subject of our toys, books, legends, and art.
Available in two sizes: 4.54"X 9.41" and 3.34"X 6.87"
Recognized for his ferocity and unmistakable beauty, the tiger has captured people's imaginations for centuries and has played a variety of roles in the legends of many cultures. Three designs, arranged together horizontally, form a triptych showing the tiger in repose and on the prowl. The tiger print frames add more color and interest to this design.
The alert tiger prowls outside the triptych design for those who want a smaller design or to use as an accent to the larger design.
This giant panda triptych with bamboo frames is great for shirtfronts, yokes, bags, or a lovely framed pieces.
Although we might think that the distinct black and white coloration of the panda would be easy to spot, this secretive bear actually blends in well with the rocky terrain and shadowy forest of his habitat. Extracted from the triptych, this smaller version of the handsome panda takes on a life of its own.
As elephants go, Asian elephants are more easily domesticated than their African counterparts. They have been used as beasts of burden, movers of heavy objects, as transportation, and even in the battles of war. They differ from their African cousins in several other ways: Asian elephants have smaller ears, their backs are convex, and their heads have two domes, whereas the African has a concave back and head with even curvature.
The cultures of Asia revere their elephants; a Japanese legend alleges that a bedside elephant figurine will keep nightmares away. Intelligent animals, they communicate with one another, constantly chatting, and their alarm sounds can be heard by other elephants five kilometers away.
The Bactrian camel of Asia has two humps, double that of the Dromedary of the Mid-East. Wild Bactrian camels live in the grasslands and desert regions of northwestern China and Mongolia. Camels were first domesticated more than 4,000 years ago. They can eat almost any vegetation, drink salty or brackish water, and carry hundreds of pounds of cargo. Ready for any weather, they can live in extreme temperatures from 40 degrees F. below zero to 100 degrees F. above.
Fun fact: Unlike most animals, camels walk by moving both legs on one side of their bodies at the same time. Wouldn't this fellow look great on the flap of your safari shorts?
Infamous for their intimidating behavior and deadly bite, cobras literally take a stand when they are disturbed or riled, warning intruders away with an erect stance, and flaring their "hoods" by extending loose skin behind their heads. The king is found in the watery regions from the Philippines to Malaysia, and southern China to Thailand and India.
The king cobra grows to an average length of 12 feet, but it can attain 18 feet, making it the longest venomous snake in the world. Its cousin, the common cobra is smaller -- so it can fit nicely in the baskets of snake charmers.
The great one-horned rhinoceros is gray-brown with skin folds that give him an armored appearance. Also called the Indian rhino, this is the largest of the Asian rhinos. Hunted for their prized horns, used in traditional Chinese medicines, and driven from their grassland habitat by the extension of agriculture, the rhinos survive today mainly in Indian wildlife parks.
The name rhino-ceros comes from the Greek words for "nose-horn." Rhinos are the only mammals with horns on their noses rather than on top of their heads. True to its prehistoric appearance, this animal's ancestors stretch back 60 million years, five million years after the reign of the dinosaurs. A symbol of strength, a charging rhino is a formidable animal. As the old joke goes, the only way to keep a rhino from charging is to take away his credit card.
Yes, this little guy with the sweet face and ringed tail is a panda -- the red or "lesser" panda, to be exact. Although they look more like raccoons, they have a bear-like body. They live in the forested mountain slopes of southern Asia and feed on bamboo, acorns, roots, berries, and an occasional egg or young bird. Unlike other bears, their claws are partly retractable, and they are remarkably agile in trees. Their thick, furry tails make a wonderful blanket for curling up in for much of the day.
The panda from the above design is also sold separately. Use it by itself, or as an accent to the above triptych design!
Some of world's most unique and fascinating animals, depicted with their natural habitats, are represented in this mural-like setting. See how the background environments are graphically melded to create a map of countries that comprise the Asian continent. Note: This design is a large jacket back design. It may be larger than your machine's hoop. If the design is larger than your machine's sewing field, you will need to split it, and sew it in multiple hoopings, or have it split for you. There are fantastic folks who can help you split designs - here is a list, contact one for more information: Marian (Murphy) Ecker: www.MurphysDesigns.com Roseanne Berkey: www.DesignSplits.com Kathy Jones: www.FlyingNeedle.ca
Living in the forests of Malaysia and Indonesia, the orangutan is the only great ape to be found in Asia. With short, relatively weak legs but powerful hands and arms, this shy, red "man of the forest" is most at home in the trees, and avoids climbing down to the ground. Orangutans make shelters of vegetation and nests to sleep in, and they use sticks as digging tools as they forage for foods, like honey.
Peacocks, related to the American pheasant, are found wild in India, where they travel in groups through forest lands near water. They can also be spotted in villages and fields. In India, people believe that whenever the cock spreads its ornamental tail, rain is sure to follow. The peacock's strutting movements have been imitated in many traditional Indian folk dances in which the dancers wear elaborate costumes adorned with peacock feathers.
The komodo dragon, the largest living lizard, can grow to more than ten feet and weigh more than 300 pounds. Living only on a few volcanic islands in Indonesia, they will range from beach to ridge tops. From May to August, the males can be seen in wrestling matches, attempting to vanquish their rivals and win the attention of the females.
Well-equipped for bitter cold, the snow leopard sports a dense wooly fur coat with dark rosettes and spots that serve as camouflage in high, rocky mountain terrain. Incredible jumpers, their long hind legs can propel them 20 feet straight up in the air to a cliff or tree branch. What a great mascot for a high jump or pole vaulting team!
The marks on the tiger's forehead were emulated for the Chinese pictogram, Wang, which means "king." In the Chinese zodiac, those born in the year of the tiger are thought to be courageous, generous, and commanding.
Once thought to be solitary animals, pandas have now been found living in small groups in remote Chinese provinces.
Asian art often includes animals that are important symbols in Asian culture. The following animal medallions feature animals that play prominent roles in legends. These medallions use only two colors. Special shading and unique pattern fills produce a fantastic result. Red crowned cranes are known for their spectacular and elaborate courtship dances. The paired birds circle one another, spreading their wings and leaping and calling, with much head-bobbing and bowing. Ranging from Japan to Korea and Manchuria to Siberia, the birds mate for life. In Japan, they are the symbol for long life, peace, happiness, and fidelity.
Koi, or wild carp, have figured impressively in Asian pottery, paintings, and carvings since ancient times. The Japanese considered Koi the most spirited fish, and it became the symbol for courage, strength, and perseverance toward success in both Chinese and Japanese cultures. This design pairs the fish in a symbolic form of yin yang, the ancient symbol of Taoism, and imagery for the balance of life.
In Chinese legend, the healing power of the tiger is coupled with the spirit of courage and strength. This two-color medallion depicts a tiger creeping forward. The graceful lines of the circle accent the shape of the tiger's body and direction of his movement.
Thousands of years ago, Chinese emperors kept pandas as a sort of good-luck charm. The creatures were believed to ward of evil spirits and natural disasters.
These animal frames captures elements unique to great cats. Portions of each cat extends outside of the frame, indicating that Big Cats are wild and free, beyond confining. The clouded leopard is the only cat that can descend from a tree head first! In this design, the clouded leopard prances boldly down the branch, his tail swishing outside of the frame.
The tiger's distinctive stripes are used to frame this majestic beast. The three-dimensional qualities of this design bring this cat to life. Great on jackets and shirts, or as a framed piece for animal lovers.
A snow leopard's tail is thick and warm - he uses it as a blanket in the cold snowy regions of the Himalayan mountains.
A peacock, framed in the characteristic "eyes" of his own magnificent feathers, is made all the more real as his tail trails outside this artistic frame.
A panda is framed by the bamboo plant, which is the principal delicacy of his diet.
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