Tina Whitmore developed in 2010 gradient yarns -a color method unlike any multi-colored yarn that existed before, beginning one of the most marked and copied trends to hit the yarn market of this decade. Freia straddles the line somewhere between an indie dyer and a large yarn company, providing a unique hand-dyed yarn, but at a scale large enough to cater to Local Yarn Stores globally. The custom-spun fiber they use is soft and lofty and has a wonderful rustic character to it, without the itch. The name of the brand comes from Tina’s Chesapeake Bay Retriever. “Both Freia (the dog) and Freia (the yarn) have brought a wonder to my life that is priceless in beauty, joy and exuberance,” says Tina Whitmore, the owner of Freia Fibers.