Shoppers Rule Blog

Fashions evolve and trends come and go. Eventually, some fads resurface. And this time an old trend has returned – completely revamped! It is the denim shirt!

From Forever 21 to Macy’s to Oprah’s magazine (Feb. 2013 issue), denim shirts are turning up everywhere. Denim shirts can be worn in any season and are equally appealing to both men and women. A denim shirt can easily be dressed up or down with pants/jeans, shoes and other accessories.

Ladies jeans are appearing in a myriad of colors this season – from bold reds, blues and greens, to lighter pinks, aqua or white. What works with any of these? A denim shirt.
What to wear with floral print leggings or jeans with a patterned print? A denim shirt.
Have dark denim jeans? Try a light denim shirt for a great contrast.

Light denim, dark denim, it doesn’t matter. Designers have been getting creative with denim, and so can you. Try tie-dying denim. It is stylish and easy to do. Be creative. Just tie-die the sleeves. Or leave the sleeves alone and tie-die the body of the shirt. Personalize with embroidery, jewels, studs, or other embellishment.

Make a denim shirt a staple in your wardrobe.

Shoppers Rule has a variety of shirts in light and dark denim, long sleeve and short sleeve. To view all, click on: Denim Shirts.
Happy Shopping.

ShoppersRule.com

Superior Conductive Thread is an innovative thread that carries electricity and completes electrical circuits.

What does this mean? 

It means that you can turn an ordinary pair of gloves into gloves that conduct electricity for use with your smart phone or tablet. Or you can use Conductive thread to complete a circuit when designing garments or holiday decorations that include LED lights and batteries.

 What is Conductive Thread made of ?

Conductive thread is made from Stainless Steel fiber (SS316L) and has a resistance rating of 4.5hms/foot.  It is a  Tex 90, approximately an 8 wt. thread.  It is a 2 ply thread that carries electricity and is not microwave safe.

 Can I use Conductive Thread with my sewing machine?

Not through the top needle.  It is a 2-ply conductive thread that will not pass through a sewing machine needle and must be used in a bobbin, or couched, or by hand.

 Why do I have to remove my gloves to use a touchscreen?

Today’s touchscreen technology works from electric current. Our bodies carry electric current very will.  But fibers such as cotton, wool, polyester, rayon, and leather don’t carry electricity very well.  Hence, regular gloves do not conduct the electricity needed to utilize touch screens. Having to remove our gloves each time we want to access an app or take a phone call, can be a hassle during cold months.  Superior Conductive Thread bridges the gap between glove and skin and allows electric current to flow through its fibers.

 How do I turn my favorite pair of gloves into Smart Phone/Tablet-friendly Gloves?

Simply, hand-stitch Conductive thread strategically into the tips of your gloves where they come in contact with your touchscreen.  

Here are the steps as provided by the makers of Superior Conductive Thread:

• Step 1. Get a pair of gloves that you often wear and would like to stitch some conductive thread into the fingertips, hand sewing needle, thimble (optional), and a bobbin of conductive thread.
• Step 2. Take 18″ of SuperiorConductive Thread, thread through the eye of a hand-sewing needle with, equal amounts on both sides and tie a knot in the end. (Doubled up, you will have 9″ of thread from the needle’s eye)
• Step 3. Put your glove on.
• Step 4. Stitch Superior Conductive Thread into the fingertips of the index finger and thumb. Please be careful not to prick your finger! (These two digits are the main digits used for phones. Please stitch the Conductive Thread on all fingers if you expect to use your tablet’s touch-screen keyboard.)
• Step 5. The goal to achieve when stitching is to make sure that the conductive thread is touching your skin and touching the screen at the same time. For each section of stitch on the outside of the glove, stitch an equal length on the inside. This does not require many stitches, 4-5 sections will do the trick.
• Step 6 – Remove the glove and tie off the thread end. Snip off the tails and you’re all done! 

How do I use Superior Conductive Thread to link LED’s together and complete a circuit?

 So keep your fingers nice and toasty this winter inside gloves that can be used on your touchscreen devices.  And light up any room that you enter – literally wearing clothing that is lit up with LED lights courtesy of Conductive Thread.

Happy shopping.

ShoppersRule.com

Fall is a great time for entertaining. Therefore, we’d like to help you decorate your home with seasonal style.

For the do-it-yourself types, we have great tools, like the Go! Cutter Fall Medley and Rustling Leaves Collections. Choose from 7 die sets featuring leaf designs for sweet gum, poplar, maple and oak leaves, an acorn and pumpkins. Corresponding leaf embroidery designs can be found on the Rustling Leaves design CD. To see the dies, please click on: Go! Fall.

Other great fall embroidery packs include: Amazing Designs Autumn Bounty (ADC-120J), Applique Leaves (ADC-179), and Sewing with Nancy’s Pumpkins a Plenty (ADP-51J). Check out Bountiful Harvest (ADC-62). It is currently on sale for $29.

Need a little direction? Try a seasonal pattern, such as a Pumpkin Farm, Fall Harvest, or It’s Fall Y’all. To see more Fall patterns, click on Fall Patterns.

The Fall tabletop is always a focal point that is ripe for decoration. We have dozens of table adornments including table toppers, runners, placemats, napkins and tablecloths with an autumn, Halloween, and/or Thanksgiving theme. There are even dish towels and potholders to coordinate with the season. To see the entire selection, click on Fall Tabletop.

Looking for a more whimsical, yet practical addition to your kitchen or bar area? Try making recipe towels. You get a pattern and design CD to embroider on towels or napkins with cocktail recipes or chocolate recipes.
The cocktail recipe towel designs include 12 classic cocktails such as a Bloody Mary, Champagne Cocktail, Long Island Ice Tea, Irish Coffee, and more. How great would these look on your bar towels?
The chocolate recipe towel designs include 12 decadent desserts, such as Chocolate Malted Mousse, Chocolate Truffles, and Heavenly Chocolate Brownies. Won’t your friends love it, when you serve dessert and hand them a napkin containing the recipe?

Happy Decorating.
ShoppersRule.com

Back-to-school time is much more than utilitarian notebooks, rulers, and pencils. It is about stylish backpacks, trendy lunchboxes, and the right gym bag (just ask any kid). Our suppliers have answered with a variety of items to suit any kids’ taste.

We now have camouflage backpacks, Tutti Frutti lunch bags, zebra striped gym bags and so much more.

Gone are the days of the brown bag lunch. Insulated lunch bags with zipper closures ensure that apples stay crisp and cold cuts stay cold. Cute purse-like insulated bags (8808) are available in 24 solid colors. While funky insulated lunch bags (WB-M380) can be found in camouflage, navy/green, tutti frutti, peace signs, and zebra print.

Backpacks abound, from solids and swirls to camouflage and zebra print, some have multiple zippers and compartments designed specifically for pencils, water bottles and even I-phones.  Please click to view all Backpacks and Lunch Bags.

Gym bags abound in solids, prints, and camouflage, as well.  For the eco-conscious, there is even a small duffel bag (8805) made of recycled materials.  It is available in 25 fantastic solid colors! Plus, it costs less than $10.  How great is that? 

Our duffle bags range in size from as small as 17″x10″ to the huge “The Mother of All Bags” that is 40″x24″. 

In addition to Duffel Bags, Cases and Sleeves
are essential for protecting electronic supplies. For laptops and tablets, there are the more subdued solid navy or black colored cases, as well as lively sleeves and cases in tutti frutti, camouflage, peace signs, zebra print, and more.

Our boutique items are a collection of color coordinated backpacks, lunch boxes, duffle bags, computer sleeves, and more. These items can be found within their specific category listed above, or you can conveniently find all of them together here: Boutique Items.

Fun colored backpacks and lunch boxes are great ways to express yourself, especially if khakis, navy dress pants and pleated skirts are your wardrobe. For millions of kids in private school, the school uniform is standard attire. To view our selection of school attire, please click on: School Uniforms.

Welcome back to school.
ShoppersRule.com

Japanese Kanzashi are hair adornments for women used in traditional Japanese hairstyles.  There are several types of kanzashi, each defined by the materials used to make the hair pieces.  For example, Kushi are kanzashi made using hair combs, Ōgi are metal fan-shaped hair ornaments, and Tsumami Kanzashi are flowers made of folded fabric squares, usually silk.

In the western world, “kanzashi” has evolved into a term representing the Tsumami Kanzashi art form used to make folded cloth flowers.  In addition to hair adornment, the kanzashi technique is utilized to make flowers for a three-dimensional effect on clothing, belt buckles, jewelry, home décor, craft projects, gifts, and more. 

In fact, there are so many fun and creative ways to use Kanzashi that Clover has introduced Kanzashi Flower Makers – tools to make fabric flowers quickly and easily.  There are currently 10 different Clover Kanzashi Flower Makers to make small and large round petals, pointed petals, gathered petals, Orchid petals and Daisies.

 Need some help getting started?  We are offering three FREE

Kanzashi Project Sheets to start you on your Kanzashi journey.  Simply add Kanzashi Inspired Wall Art,  Kanzashi Faux Fashion  and/or Fresh Casual & Fun Kanzashi  to your next Shoppers Rule Order.

To view all Kanzashi related items, please click here: Kanzashi .

To view a YouTube video on the Clover Kanzashi Flower Makers, please click here:  Kanzashi Flower Maker Video .
 

Happy flower making.

ShoppersRule.com

Here in St. Louis, May has been one of the warmest on record.  So thoughts jump to baseball games, swimming pools, and enjoying a variety of outdoor activities.  Therefore, it’s time to bring out an assortment of summertime essentials.

Click on any of the items listed below to see specific product options.

Essentials for relaxing in the shade:  Picnic Blanket,
Picnic Basket, Can Coolie, 
Portable Chair 

Essentials for athletic activities:  Performance/Wicking Clothing, Water Bottles, Cap or Hat, Stadium Seats and Binoculars, Golf Umbrella, and Golf Towels.

Lawn care:  Lawn Mowers,

Enjoy your summer!

ShoppersRule.com

The Accuquilt Go! Cutter continues to be a very popular item.  And it’s no wonder, since Accuquilt keeps adding new dies to the collection.  With over 100 Accuquilt Dies available, there are endless creative opportunities! 

If you are not familiar with the Go! Cutter, it is a fantastic, lightweight (only 15 lbs.) cutter.  Jump start your quilting projects by quickly and accurately cutting blocks, strips, and shapes.  Make those time-consuming appliqués or lengthy strips in seconds. The Go! Cutter can cut up to 6 layers of cotton fabric at once. To view more details about this fabric cutter, click on Go! Cutter.

Accuquilt has all the fundamental dies: triangles, squares, circles, parallelograms, hexagons, and strips.  Quilting favorites such as Drunkard’s Path, Apple Core, Sunbonnet Sue, Winding Ways, Rob Peter to Pay Paul, Rose of Sharon, Dresden Plates, and Double Wedding Ring.  Plus, numerous shapes: stars, hearts, flowers, birds, bees, and butterflies, dogs and cats, Fall leaves, Santa’s sleigh, alphabet letters, and so much more.

The newest additions to the Accuquilt line will be arriving in May – the Hip To Be Square Die Collection.  These nine new dies for creating 6”, 8”, 9”, and 12” quilt designs can be combined with your existing shapes to make an endless array of geometric designs.

To see all the dies currently available for the Go! Cutter, click on Go! Dies.

Shoppers Rule will continue to make all new dies available as quickly as possible, and I am sure that Accuquilt will continue to provide more and more dies to fulfull quilter’s desires.

Happy cutting.

ShoppersRule.com

Talk about American ingenuity! Since 1856 when Isaac Singer first introduced the sewing machine, there has been on-going search for the perfect sewing light.

Well we think we may have found it!  With the technological advances in LED lighting, it is now possible to put a very bright light exactly where you want it. This was not previously possible because of the heat traditional light bulbs generate. TheEcolux LED lights use 1.3 watts of power compared to a 100 watt light bulb.  Plus, there are 100,000 hours of life on the light!

The Ecolux Light puts super bright LED lights precisely where you need it — over your work!   The Ecolux Light kits feature 3, 6, 9, 12, and even 15 LED lights on a strip that affixes to your sewing machine, so you get light exactly where you need it, with no bendable parts to move around or get in your way.

The 3 LED strip is 2 ½” long and is perfect for small machines, such as the Singer Featherweight.  The 6 LED strip is 4 ¼” inches long and is the most popular style, as it is perfect for most standard sewing and home embroidery machines.  The 9, 12, & 15 LED light strips are designed for longer arm quilting machines.

How do they work?  The wafer thin LED strip mounts under the throat of your sewing machine with 3M adhesive.   You attach an 8 foot power cord with switch to the back of your machine using the included adhesive clips. One end of the power cord plugs into the LED Strip and the other end plugs into a standard 110 volt outlet, same as your sewing machine.  The power cord can easily be disconnected to move your machine and/or for travel.  There is no need to remove the LED Strip from the machine

Do you have a second machine?  The Ecolux lights are sold as a complete kit or light strip only.  So, if you purchase one complete kit, you simply need to purchase the light strip for your second machine.  No need for a second complete kit.  The plug and switch were designed to be interchangeable with every Ecolux LED strip.  Simply disconnect the plug from the light on one machine, and connect to a second machine.

To view all of the Ecolux LED lights and light kits, please click here:  Ecolux Lighting .

Happy Shopping.

ShoppersRule.com

Believe it or not, Spring is right around the corner.  And so is bridal shower and graduation party season.  So what do weddings and graduations have in common?  Gifts, of course.  A unique, personalized gift is a great way to honor that someone special at a significant time in their life.  

I am an immensely practical person, so I like choosing practical gifts, but I also want my gifts to be unique and creative.   That is why I love this gift idea – a personalized market basket loaded with supplies to suit the recipient. 

We have a wide selection of market baskets, including 3 sizes in a variety of solid colors and prints, so there is sure to be one to suit anyone’s style.   Market baskets are lightweight, easy to clean, and completely collapsible.  Plus, they are great for the eco-conscious shopper who doesn’t want to waste resources using all those plastic bags.  

And, now the large JanetBaskets even have a optional basket cover.   These brand new covers come in brown or grey to coordinate with most styles of basket.   Now you can keep the contents of your basket securely protected from rain or nosy neighbors.  

Personalize a market basket with embroidery or fabric paint. 

Fill a basket with pasta, spaghetti sauce, and French bread to make a fun housewarming or welcome to the neighborhood gift.  Add a few kitchen utensils and dish towels for a great shower present.  For the recent graduate moving into a dorm or first apartment, fill a basket with groceries, bath towels, cleaning supplies or even a guys favorite junk food.   The possibilities are endless. 

These pictures feature a few of the fabric options. To view the entire market basket collection, please click here: Market Baskets.

Happy Shopping.

ShoppersRule.com

They are sleepwear. They are loungewear. They are comfortable. They are fashionable.
They are flannel pants.

Flannel pajama pants are great for lounging in front of the television or with a good book on a lazy winter’s day and for curling up snuggly in bed at night. Their comfortable fit, soft fabric and elastic waistband make them the perfect comfort-wear. They are practical, functional, and washable.

But these aren’t your grandmothers boring, utilitarian pajamas. Flannel pants come in a huge variety of stylish colors and patterns. Numerous plaid color combinations abound. But there are also zebra prints, polka dots, and more.

Who knew flannel could make a fashion statement? I see teenagers in the supermarket pairing flannel pants with a fitted long sleeve t-shirt. My own daughter would happily stay in her flannel pants and a sweatshirt all day (and night) long. Girls in parochial school wear them under their skirts to keep warm during outdoor recess. Flannel pants truly seem to be available in a style for just about anyone.

To see Shoppers Rule selection, please click on: Flannel Pants .

Happy Shopping.  Stay warm and fashionable this winter!

ShoppersRule.com