含羞草研究社淭hese ain含羞草研究社檛 your nana含羞草研究社檚 bandanas.含羞草研究社�

That含羞草研究社檚 the tagline Kathy Mackey of Chilliwack uses to describe her custom-made pet accessories. She含羞草研究社檚 the designer and creator of Simply Fetching Pet Designs.

含羞草研究社満�羞草研究社橞andana含羞草研究社� is now the 含羞草研究社楤含羞草研究社� word 含羞草研究社� we do not use that here. These are neckwear含羞草研究社� sounds way more important,含羞草研究社� she said with a laugh.

Mackey will be selling her handmade items at the 151st annual Chilliwack Fair Aug. 11 to 13.

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Spread across the table in front of her on a sunny summer afternoon is a slew of neckwear for dogs and even some for cats.

As Mackey mentioned, they含羞草研究社檙e not your standard, run-of-the-mill bandanas. These are handmade creations and each one is unique. Themes include: western, floral, stars, skulls and crossbones, dinosaurs, military, sugar skulls, sports and more. Her Harley Davidson-themed ones are called 含羞草研究社榖ad-nanas.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭hey含羞草研究社檙e all about fun, and fashion and showing off,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 have not run out of ideas yet. I don含羞草研究社檛 know how, but I just haven含羞草研究社檛.含羞草研究社�

She uses all sorts of fabric including faux leather and suede, flannel, denim, and fabric by Indigenous artists such as Cree designer Linda Lavallee.

For a long time, Mackey has loved to craft and do embroidery, but if you asked her about a year and a half ago how to thread a sewing machine, she wouldn含羞草研究社檛 have the answer.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檇 never sewn in my life,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淚 went online 含羞草研究社� which is another thing I just learned how to do 含羞草研究社� to see what含羞草研究社檚 out there to get some ideas. In 2023 there still is nothing out there but bandanas. You tie them in a knot and they get all these wrinkles.含羞草研究社�

She said she was blown away that she couldn含羞草研究社檛 find any pet neckwear that wasn含羞草研究社檛 a tie-up bandana, so she decided to start her own business.

Simply Fetching Pet Designs neckwear is made of three layers 含羞草研究社� the feature fabric at the front, a liner at the back, and fusing in the middle. If you scrunch it up into a ball, it springs back into it original shape.

含羞草研究社淭hey always retain their shape,含羞草研究社� she said added that they are quite durable. 含羞草研究社淚t all looks so fragile, but it isn含羞草研究社檛.含羞草研究社�

Each one is adjustable and has a velcro closure. They are to be hand washed in cold water and dried flat.

She uses buttons, beads, fringes, lace and other embellishments. Mackey adds a 含羞草研究社渓ittle something special含羞草研究社� on the back of each piece and each one has a matching clip/barrette, she said.

There are Elvis ones, Minion ones, and some have little pockets made from old kids含羞草研究社� jeans which are meant to hold dog treats.

Styles range from sparkly rhinestones to motorcycles.

Her business is on Facebook and Instagram. For a 69-year-old who recently gave up her flip phone, learned how to sew and use the internet, Mackey含羞草研究社檚 pet neckwear business is pretty impressive.

Simply Fetching Pet Designs has been around for a little more than a year, but almost nobody has seen her work.

Mackey has Crohn含羞草研究社檚 disease and it was a severe flareup last year just before the Chilliwack Fair that put the kibosh on what would have been her first hometown show. She ended up in the hospital for more than a month.

Last fall, she had a booth at a dog show in Chilliwack which did not go well. She later realized sales were low because people at dog shows are breed-specific and none of her neckwear was made to highlight one type of dog.

含羞草研究社淭hey are Bernese mountain dog people, they are poodle people, they are chow people含羞草研究社� that含羞草研究社檚 all they care about,含羞草研究社� she said about folks who compete at dog shows. 含羞草研究社淭hey don含羞草研究社檛 care about cute and colourful.含羞草研究社�

But, she said she always looks on the positive side of things. She had great feedback at the dog show about her work, and she figured she was simply at the wrong event.

含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 why I含羞草研究社檓 looking forward to the fair, it含羞草研究社檚 family oriented,含羞草研究社� Mackey said. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 not missing this year.含羞草研究社�

Mackey will have her booth set up at the Chilliwack Fair from Aug. 11 to 13 at Chilliwack Heritage Park with more than 300 neckwear pieces for sale. Prices range from $14 to $34. She does custom designs on request, including for weddings.

For more, check out Simply Fetching Pet Designs on and (instagram.com/simplyfetchingpetdesigns), call/text 604-703-5858 or email a1a@telus.net.