In a Langwarrin South semi-rural oasis of mature gum trees, flowering native bushes and swaying sunburnt grasses where bell birds ting and horses whinny, sits a mid- 20th century clinker brick house. Inside, an unassuming career hairdresser keeps her hands busy making beautifully crocheted handbags out of soft, chunky, cotton-braided cord.
Judith Abbott has always enjoyed working with her hands. Growing up in Glen Waverly, she was fortunate to have a clever, crafty stay-at-home Mum who taught her how to knit and sew. They enjoyed making things together. Judith recalls knitting her first jumper in Year 5 and she felt mighty proud. In her twenties, when she couldn’t find anything she really liked at the shops, she’d make her own dresses.
While Judith has always loved working as a big-city hairdresser where she meets a broad spectrum of people and has regulars who have come to her for 35 years, she wanted to apply her creativity in a different direction. The cogs started turning when she saw a work colleague’s handmade, crocheted handbag. Judith thought it was fabulous.
Making something useful that’s unique, practical and also environmentally friendly is me
“Making something useful that’s unique, practical and also environmentally friendly is me,” she says. So, she got to work on her new idea. After intensive research on crocheted handbags, she started her own trial-and-error process, experimenting with different kinds of cotton cord. An online tutorial gave Judith the idea of which style of bag she wanted to make.
Then, she started calculating the maths to work out size, shape and volume. Her bags come in lots of different colours and shapes and she can custom-make the bag, depending on what a customer wants. She started out with a practical palette of solid colours so the bags could match with any outfit. Creamy linen, olive green, navy blue, earthy brown, black and a sandy shade of beige have all proven very popular.
Outside of practicality, variety is a big part of a handbag’s appeal. “Different bags are fun for different occasions, outfits or uses,” she says. Judith’s bags come in four sizes from the mini which can hold a phone, wallet, keys and other small sundries, to a large which is great for the beach or a day in the city. Both middle-sized bags are perfect for carrying a trade-sized paperback or hardcover book amongst other things. Book clubs will love them.
One of the things that make these hand-held bags unique is that they can also be carried as a cross-body bag with a jazzy embroidered internally attachable/detachable plain or patterned strap to match the bag’s colour. These flexible bags are also deceptively roomy; a sort of Mary Poppins effect where it would seem no more could go in or come out, but it does.
The most important factor in designing her product was the cord. She didn’t want any plastic polymer components. She wanted pure locally-sourced cotton cord sturdy enough to sit flat and also keep its shape. She found the perfect maker of ethically sourced braided cotton cord in Melbourne. Judith likes the earthiness of the chunky cord and it’s very durable. It suits her product perfectly. With 7-9mm crochet hooks, she creates the weave she wants.
Judith also loves that she can make her bags while sitting down. She spends a lot of her work time standing. She also has two active dogs she walks every day so having a chance to sit quietly and croquet is quite relaxing. That said, her hands are so attuned to her craft that she can talk or watch TV without dropping a stitch.
The name for Judith’s new business, JuJu and Thyme, comes from the nickname her little nieces call her, ‘JuJu’. Thyme has a double meaning. It stands both for the homonym, time, because it takes a lot of time to make the bags. It’s also a nod to her love of spending time in nature because thyme has a fresh, floral scent that smells like a day in the garden.
Scoring a regular market stall at Emu Plains in Balnarring or Little Beauty in Frankston is no easy feat, but Judith was accepted at both right away. She finds the market community and support from other stallholders amazing. The immediate feedback from customers has been invaluable. “I find the benefits are endless when you do something you love that you can share with others,” she says.
IG: @jujuandthyme_