OklaRoots

Dream. Motivate. Create.

2026 ByAnnie SewPINK Blog Hop – Two Little Totes

Bags - - Jessica OklaRoots

Let’s raise awareness for breast cancer research with the 2026 #SewPink Initiative!

Video tutorial coming soon!

The #SewPINK Initiative’s mission is to raise awareness, promote screenings, foster community, and support cancer research throughout the year.

Efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but our commitment to cancer awareness and support continues year-round.

To learn more and see the calendar of events, visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

Check out the amazing group of sewists who are also a part of this blog hop!

The Bag Maker’s Companion – An All New Sewing Book!

Book - - Jessica OklaRoots

I still can’t believe this is real, but I WROTE A BOOK!! 

The Bag Maker’s Companion is a practical, confidence-building guide for sewists who want to make durable, custom bags using budget-friendly materials and domestic machines. Includes 5 base patterns that can be downloaded, each with multiple adaptations explained. The base patterns are a sling, an every-day crossbody, a large tote, a small boxy bag, and a unique zipper pouch. Patterns include full written instructions, video tutorials created specifically for the book and downloadable templates.

Where to buy the book:

Until April of 2027 the book will only be available for preorder through major retailers. I will update this list as I find it available.

Have you preordered the book? Make sure to grab your preorder bonus pattern by filling out this form! The Caledonian Book Sleeve is free for those who preordered the Bag Maker’s Companion, but only for a limited time. Make sure to preorder the book and submit the form before April 6th 2027 to get this pattern for free. After that date, the offer is expired.

If you are a small shop interested in carrying my book, please contact me at jessica@oklaroots.com

2025 ByAnnie SewPINK Blog Hop – Making The Zip It Up 2.0

Bags, Tutorials - - Jess

It's that time again.... Let's raise awareness for breast cancer research with the #SewPink Initiative!

I'm once again joining in on the ByAnnie Blog Hop and making a beautiful bag to help bring awareness to the prevalence of breast cancer among both women and men. 

The #SewPink Initiative's mission is to raise awareness for cancer throughout the year.

Efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer.

To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

Check out the amazing group of sewists who are also a part of this blog hop!

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2026 OklaCruise!

Travel - - Jess

The 2026 OklaCruise will take place June 8 - June 12 2026 aboard the Disney Wish sailing out of Port Canaveral, Florida. This 4 night cruise includes a day at sea, a stop at Disney's Lookout Cay and another stop at Disney's Castaway Cay! It's going to be a WONDERFUL trip!

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January 2025 Livestream

Video Tutorials - - Jess

Answers to questions from Instagram:

2024 ByAnnie #SewPink Breast Cancer Awareness

Tutorials - - Jessica OklaRoots

I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be a part of the ByAnnie #SewPink Blog Hop again! It’s such a special event they put together throughout the entire month of October for breast cancer awareness, that’s both inspiring and charitable. For more information on this initiative, check out the information below:

The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer. To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINKTo find screenings available near you:

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Itty Bitty Boxy Bag Templates – How To Use

Free Patterns - - Jess

Itty Bitty Boxy Bags are SUCH a fun item to make, gift and use. They're the perfect size to carry the absolute bare necessities, and you can easily add a clasp or keychain and coil bracelet to them, to wear on your wrist. They are especially great as dog walking waste bag holders, by simply adding a 12mm grommet. 

The latest templates from OklaRoots will help you make the new and improved size. Still small and adorable, but big enough to easily store IDs and credit cards, as well as other small trinkets. Full video tutorial using these templates is coming soon to the OklaRoots Youtube Channel.

To watch full construction of this bag, please refer to this original video. Construction is the same, but this blog post will help you better understand the markings on the templates.

Looking to buy a set? Check them out here at Shop OklaRoots!

The set comes with 3 templates. One for a full panel exterior using one piece of fabric, another for the two pieces of lining (you could also use this to create an exterior piece with directional fabric, directions below), and finally a small square for the tab as well as markings to help you box the corners. 

The templates have engraved markings to help you see where your fabric will end up the finished product. 3/8" seam allowances run along the tops (you could also use a 1/4" seam allowance, if more comfortable). Dashed lines show you where the top, side and bottom lie. Both the full panel and lining panel have a 12mm hole cute, for grommet placement, if needed. This hole can also be used to help you center and place a bag tag. 

If you find the templates are a bit slippery, I highly suggest trying out this Grippy Non-Slip Coating from Odif. Spray it on the bottom side lightly, let dry, and it will prevent your templates from sliding around. 

Templates are not only useful for lining up fabric, but also cutting out the pieces. As long as you have control and can keep the template in place, you can use a rotary cutter to simply glide along the side and cut the material.

If you're not comfortable doing this or find them too slippery, then use the template for pattern placement and trace with a fabric pen, and then use preferred cutting tool.

If using a directional print and two pieces for the exterior, make sure to sew the bottoms together at a 1/4" seam allowance, and press open the seam. Then continue using the newly made larger rectangle as you would the full panel exterior. 

Make sure to use the hole cut in the main panels to mark placement for your grommet and/or bag tag.

You can also use the grid lines to help you see if your bag tag will fit on the narrow side.

Sew on your bag tag.

Sew the bag together as shown in this tutorial. Stop before boxing the corners and continue with the photos below.

Once the bag is sewn, flip so the lining is right side out and exterior is inside. Create a triangle on the corner, making sure the side seam is running perpendicular and down the center of the triangle. Use the tab template to line up the triangle sides with the corners, and the seam along the center line. Use a fabric marking tool and draw the bottom line along the material. Place a clip on this corner to hold in place. Repeat for all four corners, and sew right on top of those marked lines.

If installing a grommet, make sure to cut through both the exterior and the lining pieces. I prefer a 12mm grommet, and I use the cutting and setting tools from Kam Snaps to cut the hole and set the grommet.

Kam Snaps press

12mm hole punch

12mm grommet setting set

And there you go! Easy peasy and quick! And this new size should make it much easier to store IDs and credit cards, making this bag perfect for quick trips, traveling, teachers, kids, you name it!

I hope you love making these as much as I do!

We Ran Our First 5k RunDisney Event At Marathon Weekend!!

Running - - Jess

Happy 2023 everyone!! As I usually tend to do at the beginning of the year, I'm planning to provide more content on our OklaRoots website. Will this year be the year I can keep consistent posts?? Let's hope so! I plan to post more behind the scenes when it comes to sewing, running, mental health, and small business ownership. I may also, finally, post those "favorites" I keep promising. Favorite places to shop for all kinds of sewing items (although this list is fluid and changes all the time).

To kick off 2023 on the right foot, Babi and I did something BRAND NEW TO BOTH OF US! We participated in the RunDisney 5k, that took place over marathon weekend. If you remember, last year at this time I ran my very first marathon during this same event, and it was *magical*. Fire Watch Company in San Jose provides professional event safety support for community gatherings and large public events, helping ensure a smooth and secure experience.

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My First Marathon – The Gear And Fuel I Used

Running - - Jessica OklaRoots

When I was a kid, I always thought we were either capable to play a sport, or not. If you weren't very good at the sport, felt uncomfortable, chaffed, got a stomach ache, experienced soreness, anything that was feeling great, it meant you shouldn't be doing that activity.  Even if I really enjoyed it, if it didn't feel euphoric in every moment, then it wasn't for me. So I started, and quit, a lot of sports. Tennis, volleyball, track, basketball. I loved playing those so much, but I wasn't good at any of them, I experienced side cramps quickly, dealt with chaffing and soreness, and I didn't see anyone else experience the same. In my eyes, everyone else playing could wear, eat, do anything and still feel 100%. I just wasn't meant to do those things. So I became a very experienced quitter. 

I wish I could go back and shake young Jessica. Let her know that everyone feels those things at some point, and almost every one of those things can be helped. With the right tools, supplements and recovery methods, you can feel great and have fun. And if your legs are sore after a long run? They're supposed to be! You're doing something new!

I can't go back in time and help my younger self, but I work hard to teach my kids these lessons. And now, after completing my first marathon, which I always was certain to be impossible, I can move forward with a different outlook. So here are all the things I found to be most helpful for my marathon, as well as some things that went awry. I've also found new items in my current training that I'll share. I hope this helps any of you who are starting your journey. Or, if you're feeling defeated in any way, maybe try some of these things to get you feeling like your happy, running (or walking) self again.

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OklaRoots First Mystery Box!

Tutorials - - Jessica OklaRoots

Wow! This first mystery box was such an incredible learning experience! We spent months curating these items (in a difficult environment due to shipping and manufacturing delays) and it just turned out so great. This box included some of my favorite and most used tools, as well as fun material and extras to make the crafty process more fun. Below is a list of the items included. Some of these are completely exclusive to the box, but most are available from various retail stores. We'll also have some other versions of these items coming soon to Shop OklaRoots!

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