LEGO may have started as a toy – one that fostered creativity and problem solving – but today LEGO fills so many roles in people’s lives. It’s a medium of artistic expression, a forum for collaboration, a key to peace and self-confidence during trying times, and of course, it’s to collect and display. But for many, one of LEGO’s greatest gifts is providing a foundation for community. When Andrew founded The Brothers Brick 20 years ago, it was an extension of the brickshelf community in an era when MySpace was the dominant social platform and LEGO news for adults was rare. These days, it’s much easier to connect with other AFOLs on Instagram, Discord, TikTok (even good old Flickr), but as the number of LEGO creators grows, it can be hard, if not impossible, to follow all the amazing ways people are using LEGO to create and share, especially if your biases and algorithms are trained to serve up space ships and dark fantasy.

I first discovered Barabara, better known as @sleepswithlego or just “Sleeps,” after seeing minifigs wearing crocheted coats across a range of accounts. Following the trail back to Sleeps, I fell into a rabbit hole of creativity and friendship as elaborate and joyful as any massive convention constructions and had to know more. Thankfully, Sleeps awoke long enough to talk with us about her unique LEGO community.

TBB:  Thanks for taking a break from your slumber to speak with us today!

Sleeps With LEGO: It’s my pleasure!

TBB: Your builds and  stories revolved around “sigfigs” (minifig avatars) How did you learn about sigfigs and what led to you making your own?

SWL: I learned about sigfigs when I was watching JC, building his Small Brick City on Youtube. That was late 2019. Shortly after I joined Instagram, spring 2021, I got in contact with a few AFOLs.
Among them Zabadakbricks. I knew ‘him’ from Small Brick City, where his sigfig lived. Zabadak was the first person who asked me to trade, I was so flattered! I didn’t have a sigfig yet, so I had to create my mini-self.

TBB: Can you speak to the significance of the parts you use for your fig?

 SWL: I picked blond hair in a ponytail, like in real life. A dual head, the sleepy side hinting to my name, the other side is awake. A white torso with greens on it, because I love nature. Finally, orange legs because I’m Dutch.

It took me a while to figure out what my ‘signature part’ was going to be. Finally, since I crochet a lot, including clothing for myself, I came up with my brown sigfig jacket. And since a lot of sigfigs bring a present, Sleeps always brings a jacket for her new sigfig friend.

TBB: How did you first get into crocheting minifig clothing?

SWL: Well, that’s on Mathew Ashton, the designer of the Everyone is Awesome set. First of all, it has eleven colours and 11 is my favourite number. Second, it scrams inclusiveness and diversity. What’s not to like?

So, there it was, displayed under the TV, 11 colourful, yet ‘naked’ minifigures. I decided to make them some clothes. From my grandmother and mother-in-law, I had inherited very thin yarn and crochet needles. And I got to work. It took me a while to figure out what my ‘signature part’ was going to be. Little did I know, it was staring me in the face all this time :D

TBB: What are the challenges of crocheting at this scale? What sort of yarn do you use?

SWL: It might look fiddly to others, but to me it’s all the same, whether I use a 1,5 needle or a 14 needle. For the jackets I use a very thin yarn that is normally used for embroidery.

TBB: Do you have an estimate of how many clothing pieces you’ve made and how much of
that is shared with friends?

SWL: For all the different types of clothes together? Like the jackets, capes, aprons, stolas, trench coats, santa jackets and hats? In all the different colours? Plus some special requests?

Gosh, hundreds of pieces? Might be nearing a thousand. Could be more. I really don’t
know. A lot.

TBB: Has your sigfig changed over time?

SWL: No, not the ones I trade. I do have some variances which I use for my Sigfig Adventures, holidays and hashtags, like #darksidesigfig.

Sleeps likes to wear different kinds of clothing, like in Bridgerton (#RebuildBridgerton)

TBB: I saw a picture of your sigfig collection and it looks like you have quite a few friends on hand for adventures! How many copies of your sigfig have you shared with others?

SWL: I traded with about 80 sigfigs with other AFOLs.

TBB: Can you share a bit about your sigfig friends and their adventures?

SWL: Sigfig adventures are little scenes with sigfig friends, mostly funny (I hope). I try to personalise the stories as much as I can. Like everyone who trades, I started sharing welcome posts with my new sigfig friends.

Some of us were part of a Dutch AFOL chat, so we got to know each other a bit better.
Jokes were flying around. And before we knew it, we were all sharing funny posts with
‘us’ in it. We posted prequels, sequels and completely new adventures.

TBB: How did you get started with this collaborative form of storytelling?

SWL: Oh, that’s all on Instagram! When they introduced the functionality of collaborative posts. Before that we were only able to tag each other.

TBB: Where do you find inspiration for the stories?

SWL: Mostly things said in comments (on other posts with sigfigs) and personal chats of course.

TBB: Do you have a favorite scene or scenario that you’ve built?

SWL: Oh, that’s a hard one! It’s not one build or post. It’s what happens after posting: when people interact, with me, with each other. Like on the Team Presentation of #tourdelego, in June. The response and interaction were enormous, way more than I ever expected. It’s so much fun (and peaceful), it’s just beautiful!

TBB: For some of your adventures, it looks like you send you physical invitations. That extra
physical touch feels personal and fun. What inspired that?

SWL: With #DutchSecretSanta in 2021, I sent some Santa jackets to the other AFOLs participating. Later, in 2023, I built a little sleigh for the Christmas card, which doubled as instructions. It only seemed logical to add the Santa jackets. My friends just started posting the sleigh, posing as santa!

So, in 2024, I sent out new year greetings with Glitter Sigfig jackets. It’s my way of cheering up my friends. Recently I sent a couple of friends a card to invite them to join #tourdelego. Obviously, I added some jerseys like the pro-cyclists wear. And I hope they’ll reuse them during the #Legolympics, next year in Italy.

TBB: Your adventures include builders from all over the world. It’s pretty incredible that you’ve found so many kindred spirits from so many places. Has your experience with sigfigs changed you?

SWL: Good question. I joined Instagram during Corona. At a time when meeting friends in person was nearly impossible, I made a lot of friends online. The LEGO community is very welcoming, very diverse and very international. I appreciate all those things, I search and long for that even. Like I did when I travelled the world before Corona.

So, maybe the answer is no. I was always oriented towards open minded people like myself. The LEGO community just made it easier to meet so many wonderful people online.

TBB: Do you and the people in your community meet in person or display at LEGO events?

SWL: I’ve met a bunch of Dutch AFOLs, we Legodate in LEGO stores. And me and four AFOL ladyfriends all live in Utrecht, so we meet regularly. I also met a few Belgian, German and English friends at international events like Bricks and More and Skaerbaeck. I would love to travel to Sweden and the UK! Made a lot of friends online and very eager to meet them in person and hopefully visit events together.

TBB:  Where is the most unlikely or surprising place that your sigfig has travelled to?

SWL: Well, there are 3 Sleeps living in Australia. Only New Zealand could beat that in terms of distance from the Netherlands. And don’t tell anyone, but I snuck Sleeps into the LEGO House, and took some pics with her at the Dutch Mill. Sleeps always joins me on trips nowadays. If only I had her when I was globe trotting!

TBB: Thank you so much for your time, and best of luck with the #TourdeLEGO!

SWL: Thanks for this opportunity.