Yakushima Macaque Keychain

Previously, I focused on creating realistic monkeys. I wanted to make something more manageable and portable, leading me to significantly stylize the design. All the keychains share the same body shape. As they are plush toys, they are all made using the same mold with wet felting. The face, however, is where I felt I could truly imbue each piece with the unique "nekineki" charm, so I meticulously crafted it with needle felting, ensuring no detail was overlooked. This particular creation is a Yakushima macaque. Like Japanese macaques, Yakushima macaques exhibit individual variations, and I find many of them possess distinctive personalities. Typically, I create the alpha male, the leader of the troop, but this time, I chose to depict an older monkey. The interior is filled with cotton. The face, ears, and rear are needle-felted, so please be mindful that they may fray if rubbed or exposed to moisture. If fraying occurs, do not pull at the fibers; instead, trim them with scissors. The same applies to pilling. The fur is recreated using yarn. While I believe it offers better durability than wool roving, the extensive needle-felting process means the fibers can detach if pulled forcefully. Please handle with care. *Hand wash is not recommended. [Size] Approximately 9.5cm wide, 15.5cm tall (excluding hardware, including fur), and 6cm deep.