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Just some of the beautiful textiles I have pulled out to upcycle! I cannot WAIT!
If you’ve been around since the early days of Sweet As April, you probably remember our famous bonnet drops. Just like my Instagram posts once were, the drops happened like clockwork. I would design anywhere from 400 to 800 bonnets a month, with the help of my seamstress at the time. My mom would trim, I would photograph, list, market, and manage it all. Then, on one wild, nerve-wracking Saturday evening at 6 PM EST, we’d drop everything on the website.
The response was incredible. Bonnet drops would sell out in under 10 minutes. The next day we’d pack every order, and they’d be out the door by Monday morning. It was exhilarating, intense, and exhausting - and it worked beautifully for a long time.
But everything shifted in 2020.
The pandemic disrupted the rhythm we had relied on for years. Suddenly, the drop model stopped working. That was the first time I had to reckon with the fact that no business - not even one with a loyal and loving community like ours - is immune to change.
Our customers’ babies grew up. Some outgrew their bonnets. Others became strong-willed toddlers who had their own ideas about what they’d wear (fair enough!). Our lives and routines changed, and SAA had to change, too.
We shifted to weekly drops. Then daily restocks. Then in March 2023, I made the decision to move to an always-stocked website - no more drop-day pressure. It was the right move, especially as I began designing my own exclusive prints and exploring made-to-order options. We also began offering new merchandise that could be printed on demand, which made the business more sustainable in this new season.
But here’s the thing I’ve come to realize - and what I shared in my last blog post - my desire to upcycle textiles can’t be replaced by any new pattern or print. No matter how lovely the fabric, there’s nothing quite like the feeling of transforming a forgotten material into something entirely new and beautiful. It’s how SAA started. And it’s something I’ve missed deeply.
So I’ve decided - we’re going back to the drop method for our upcycled bonnets.
These bonnets will all be ready-to-ship. That means no waiting, no made-to-order lead times, and best of all - a process that gives me more freedom to design with intention. Working from home in a much smaller studio means I don’t have the luxury of large-scale production anymore. But I do have the freedom to create slowly, intentionally, and with a sense of purpose.
Sometimes, a textile will be just enough for one stunning bonnet. Other times, I’ll be able to make multiple sizes from a single upcycled piece. Either way, I get to work from my heart - letting each fabric guide the process, honoring its story, and creating something truly one-of-a-kind.
My goal?
August 28th: the first upcycled bonnet drop.
That gives me two weeks to reorganize and optimize my home studio (I’ll share some of that behind-the-scenes on IG!) and then a few more weeks to turn the beautiful textiles I’ve been collecting into the heirloom-quality bonnets you all love.
Now listen - I don’t expect a sellout. I don’t expect hundreds of people lined up at my digital door like the old days. Sweet As April will probably never be what it once was. But you know what I’ve learned?
Sometimes, in a creative business, you have to chase what feeds your soul - not the hype.
Will people show up for this drop? Maybe.
Will it fill a creative void that’s been aching since summer 2023? Absolutely.
And that, my lovely friends, is what matters most. Because when I follow that creative pull, I get to bring the best of me to the work. And that means the people who do show up? They get something made from love, joy, and true inspiration.
Love and bonnets always,
— Carrie
