If you scroll back to the absolute depths of By MOJA’s Instagram, you’ll find a lone logo posted almost exactly 365 days ago. One year and a few ridiculously cute crochet bags later, Australia’s newest accessory obsession was born.
For those of you who already follow Jasmine Cawthorne‘s By MOJA, we place good money on the fact that you’ve likely come across her Instagram page. It’s a dopamine hit, and obsession rolled into a beautifully curated and intentional feed, which is funny because Jasmine didn’t intentionally set out to turn her hobby into a viral accessory business.
“I don’t think there was one huge lightbulb moment,” Jasmine recalls. “My partner looked at a few of the bags I’d made and said, ‘You should sell these.’ So I shared them on my personal Instagram Stories just to see if anyone would be interested, and I was absolutely inundated with messages asking to buy them.”
From there, things haven’t slowed down — everyone from influencers to everyday fashion girlies has joined Jasmine’s waitlist, excited to receive their one-of-a-kind, handmade By MOJA.
Recently, we caught up with Jasmine to chat about how she balances kids’ nap times with high-demand drops, why Aussie fashion girlies are obsessing over slow craft, and what it really takes to build a viral brand straight out of your DMs.
Crafting around toddler meltdowns
In a world obsessed with instant gratification and fast fashion, every single By MOJA piece is the definition of slow, intentional work. From the very first loop of yarn to hitting a boutique shelf, each bag takes anywhere from two to five hours to make — and that’s before all the finishing touches like sewing in ends, adding labels, and packaging.
Operating around two little boys, Jasmine’s entire production line exists in life’s quiet pockets.
“I’ve definitely had to become very efficient because I’m making bags around two little boys,” she explains. “My oldest is at kindy three days a week, and my youngest, who’s almost two, is home with me full-time, so most of my crocheting happens during naps, after bedtime, or whenever I can steal a quiet moment.”
Why everyone is ditching fast fashion
By MOJA’s meteoric rise comes right as Aussie fashion lovers are ditching smooth, mass-produced leather and cheap plastics for chunky, tactile, handmade pieces. With overconsumption exhausting us all and the cost of living making everyone second-guess their purchases, shoppers are shifting.
“I think people are becoming much more aware of overconsumption and just how wasteful fast fashion can be,” says Jasmine. “Instead of buying lots of cheaper items that don’t last, I think people are looking to invest in pieces that are well made, have a story behind them, and feel a little more meaningful.”
That personal touch is woven into Jasmine’s signature look: nostalgic, modern, and gloriously textured. While she originally pictured By MOJA being all neutral and earthy, her love for bold, unexpected colour combos naturally took over.
“Over time, those two sides naturally blended together, and that’s become a big part of the brand’s identity,” she adds. “I love pairing colours that people might not expect but somehow just work together.”
The art of intentional growth
Scaling a handmade business when you are literally the factory floor is a total head-scratcher. Traditional retail brands crank up production in an overseas factory, but scaling By MOJA means keeping that slow, intentional craft alive.
“Honestly… I don’t always balance it perfectly,” Jasmine admits. “For months I’ve been saying I need more help and better systems. I don’t even have thank-you cards yet!”
Because every piece is made to order, Jasmine holds the ultimate power: adjusting her lead times when things get crazy and being super selective with custom orders. To protect the part of the process she loves most — designing and crocheting — she’s gradually brought in help for admin, label sewing, and weaving in ends.
No website, just vibe checks in the DMs
The result? Bags made for the ultimate ‘By MOJA Girl’ — someone who uses fashion as a form of self-expression and isn’t afraid to stand out.
“I want my bags to be the piece that makes getting dressed feel effortless,” Jasmine says. “You can throw on a really simple outfit, add a By MOJA bag, and suddenly you feel confident and like yourself.”
Remarkably, Jasmine doesn’t even have a website yet. The entire business lives directly in her Instagram DMs, turning every transaction into a real conversation rather than a cold checkout process.
“Ordering through DMs makes everything feel really personal,” she says. “I get to actually chat with the people buying my bags, hear their ideas, and ask for feedback before releasing new colours or styles. It feels much more like building a community than simply selling a product.”
For anyone sitting on a cool craft hobby and wondering if they can turn it into something real, Jasmine’s advice is simple: just start.
“Don’t wait until everything is perfect because you’ll probably never feel completely ready. Put your work out there, stay consistent, and keep showing up, even when it feels slow. Focus on building a brand, not just a product. People want to connect with real people — let them get to know you and your story. That’s what turns customers into a genuine community.”
By MOJA is currently taking orders via DMs with a four to six-week lead time. Get around it, folks.
If you’re lucky enough to live in the Queensland/Northern NSW area, you can pop into Koko Style (Sunshine Coast), The Lullaby Club (Redcliffe), Emte Boutique (Tweed Heads) and Lidos Boutique (West End) to find some By MOJA pieces.
Lead Image: ByMOJA.
The post From Insta Story To Instant Waitlists: The Story Behind By MOJA’s Viral Crochet Bags appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
