Big Changes for Forbidden Woolery!

2018 is almost here, and I’m so excited to ring in the new year as Forbidden Fiber Co!  

If you’ve been following me on social media since the beginning of the year, you’ll know that 2017 hasn’t been very kind to the Ross clan!  We started out the year with a frightening two-week hospital stay for baby Genevieve, then seven months old.  Thankfully she made a quick and full recovery, but the year kept throwing curve balls our way!  We had to make spur-of-the-moment, life-changing decisions at the drop of a hat, and figure out the fallout later.  

Professionally, the hardest moment came in early September, when I received a letter stating that the use of the word “Woolery” in my name was a trademark violation.  I’ve been Forbidden Woolery for eight years now, so this was quite a blow!  After consulting several (rather expensive) lawyers, all of whom assured me that I did (and continue to do) nothing wrong, I still decided to speed up a plan that had been forming in my head for some time.  With my growing company, expanding product lines beyond wool and wool blends, and how the birth of my Steampunk line changed the way I view Forbidden’s identity, “Woolery” really didn’t fit who I was anymore.  I absolutely loved it when I chose it, but lately, no matter how I dress it up, it just feels a bit stodgy to me.  Some other big things are coming down the pike and I’d hoped to time a name change with those, but the disruption all this legal back-and-forth (not to mention dealing with some unsavory business people who seem to enjoy being big bullies) made me realize that I should be like Nike and Just Do It.  

Easier said than done, though!  My creative juices flow when they want to, not when I force them! Forbidden has always been who I am, from that moment in October 2009 when I stood in front of the Swarovski store in York, England, staring at a beautiful red apple necklace and the whole company came to me in a great big whoosh! of adrenaline. So trying to force myself into a new timeline had me stammering to find something that matched the intensity of the word Forbidden.  I googled, translated, thesaurus-ed, and dictionary-ed for days, turned weeks-on-end.  I had input from dozens of friends and family.  I settled on something just to throw it out and start all over, more than once.  And finally realized I was WAY overthinking it and went with something easy.  Something that wouldn't detract from the vast emotion I have invested in the word “Forbidden”, wouldn’t limit the possibilities of where I can go in the future, and, most importantly, felt like it was me.  Because as much as I hate being in the spotlight, this company is my identity.  It is me and I am it.  

And that's how Forbidden Fiber Co. was born!

So, to quote my favorite episode of Buffy, ever, “Where do we go from here?”

Things have been slowly plodding along behind the scenes - new business licenses, new logo, new labels, etc, etc.  Let's just say I've realized just how invested in a brand one becomes over eight years! 

In the coming weeks you’ll see:

• The new name and logo taking over the website, social media, advertising, etc.
• The website and online shop will move to www.forbiddenfiberco.com, but you will still be able to access it from www.forbiddenwoolery.com for the foreseeable future.
• A GREAT BIG SALE!!!!  Because who wants to relabel hundreds of skeins of in-stock yarn? Not me, that’s for sure!!! 

With all that said, from December 31, 2017 through January 8, 2018, use the code NEWYEAR2018 for 30% off everything in the online shop!