About Frey

Hi, I’m Frey.

Making things by hand was a normal part of my childhood. My aunt sewed quilts, knitted sweaters, and even made clothes and shoes. I loved sitting nearby and watching her work. Before long, I was saving little scraps of fabric and turning them into clothes for my dolls.

For a long time, though, I believed this was something I had to leave behind. I studied, found a stable job, and spent years following the path that seemed sensible. By 2021, I was completely burned out and struggling with anxiety and depression. I left my job and began sewing and knitting again—not as a business, but because I needed to feel like myself again.

At the beginning, there was no real plan. I made things quietly, tried different materials, got some things wrong, and slowly found my way back.

In 2024, I made a little Hug Cat bag charm simply because I wanted to make it. Friends asked where I got it, so I shared it on TikTok. Then other people began asking if they could have one too.

It was the first thing I made that brought income into this new chapter, and it gave Made by Frey a real beginning.

Made by Frey has changed a lot since that first cat. I still make small animals, but now there are book sleeves, pouches, pencil cases, bags, organizers, dolls, and all kinds of things I never expected to make at the beginning.

Most ideas start with a piece of fabric I can’t stop thinking about. Sometimes it’s embroidered linen, sometimes plant-dyed cloth, and sometimes it’s a print covered in cats. I keep looking at it until I can see what it might become—and then I try to make that thing useful too.

A book sleeve needs the right pocket. A tiny animal can hang from a bag and carry something small. A simple shoulder bag can give an unusual piece of fabric somewhere to belong.

Some designs begin with a practical need. Others happen because I suddenly want to make a grumpy dog, a frog in a dress, or a cat with its paw stuck somewhere. Both belong here.

The products have become more varied, but the reason behind them is still simple: turning favorite fabrics into things worth keeping.

Made by Frey is now a small creative studio. I still lead the designs, choose the fabrics, and work through the details, while a few skilled hands in my hometown help make each small batch. The studio has made it possible to try more ideas, but I still want every product to have a reason to exist.

I’m learning all the time—how to make a structure work better, which details matter, and when a design still needs more time. I would rather keep working on something than send out a piece I don’t believe in.

The fact that something made here can end up holding someone’s favorite book, traveling inside their bag, or sitting on a desk somewhere far away still feels a little unreal to me.

If you’ve supported Made by Frey by placing an order, leaving a kind message, or simply following along, thank you. You’ve given all these ideas somewhere to go.

— Frey