Umm, well. I LOVE the idea of the mini irons, but I know for a fact that I would burn myself or the board, LOL. In fact, I did both with a friend's mini.

If you're proficient with a soldering iron or a hot knife, you'll do fine. Me - well, let's just say I only use these tools where I can't destroy anything.

Just me, I'm a big klutz, and a danger to society.

I also prefer the big iron to press a full block flat.

If I'm doing a lot of piecing I move the ironing board right next to the sewing table so I don't have to get up to press something. I have the Clover and it sits on my table, unplugged. The &^*% thing burned me so many times I gave up using it. The last straw was when it burned holes through 2 of the 3 blocks I had made for one month's lotto. I know it was my own fault but that thing is dangerous! Maybe with the new guard it will be better, but I'll stick with my big iron. It never sneaks up on me!

Kate

Well, it kinda appears that I am in the minority here; I love my mini iron. Daughter #2 bought it for me for my birthday and I really love it. There IS a learning curve to using it, though. I have a lovely scar on one finger because I forgot that the rod gets hot, too! I'll not do THAT again any time soon (LOL).

I only have the basic iron, not the one with multiple attachments, so I cannot help you there, but this thing does get really hot. It is terrific for pressing those little pieces on a pp block, and provides me lots of control if I am wanting to press little areas or press only a small area of fusible, etc. See my thread on the 2009 Christmas banners I worked on to see how it was used to press only the "base" of some of the feather pieces to attach them to the tips of our bird's wings. We could not have done this successfully with a big iron.

I think it's great to have one, but I know they are not for everyone. If you can get access to one, borrow it to find out if you would be likely to use it would be my suggestion.

As for your full-size iron, I've paid $10 for a basic one that lasted several years and over $135 for a Rowenta that failed to steam after about 3 months and flat-out broke within 6. My current iron is a Shark that I got for less than $30 at Target a couple years ago and I am very pleased with it. The only problem is that the silver "finish" has been gradually wearing away where my thumb sits most often as I use it. Small problem for something that works very well, I think.

I use vintage no-steam irons whenever possible. I watch for them in thrift stores and on garage sales. If the cord still looks good, I'll take it. They are usually a bit heavier than modern irons and have sharper edges which work great for getting a good, crisp seam.

I also have a Clover mini-iron and I love it. I use it mostly for prepping applique, pressing my pieces over a template before stitching. This way I can ensure that my edges are exactly the way I want them to be before stitching them down. For me, this is less tedious than needle turn and I can prep several pieces ahead of time and have them ready to go whenever I feel like sewing.

Odessa - I remember your feathers w/out looking~they are only attached at the base and look as thou they are fluttering in flight.I wondered how you did that.

My regular iron is a shark - its better than okay, but I've been thru so many irons - sewers tend to be hard on irons.
I do like the old utilitarian heavy metal irons best, probably goes back to my tailoring days, pressing cloths, hams,rolls, etc. for all that lovely shaping - now I just want flat and straight.:)

I am worried about the danger - my area is a mess and I multi task - sometimes not very well. Kate, burning holes in your blocks stopped me from getting one last year.

This is the iron I use for PP. I tried that Clover thing and took it back...

Hope you like it...
Gwen

Here is a link that might be useful: Horizon Hobby

Gwen - Thank you so much - this looks perfect!!! And you won't believe this - when I went to the store locater in the link, there is a privately owned hobby shop directly across the highway from where I live - 5 mins from me, door - to - door. I called and ordered it from him, and it should be in maybe Friday.
The price is right - yea!! It looks safer and more substantial then the clover. Thank you so much! This forum has the greatest people!!!

It is cold in central Florida - sorry - we are frozen also -Maryland- but better prepared than you are. I worry about your plants and the crops in Florida. Stay warm!

I just got a Vermont Country Store catalog (love their variety of recognizable stuff), and they have an iron in there I was wondering about getting. My Black & Decker only intermittently steams, though it's served me well for many years. They name it "Reliable Steam Iron", but I don't know if Reliable is a description or a manufacturer. Found it on their website. It REALLY does look like my mother's. Anybody recognize this or know anything about it?

Here is a link that might be useful: Vt Country Store steam iron

Annie, why do you use no steam irons? I understand the heavy weight and sharp edges, but I always thought that steam was my friend?

For what it's worth, I have a clover mini and I use it for paper piecing and I have burned myself on the rod, but I still like it for pp-ing.

I also have the Clover mini, as it was gift I try and use it and find it works well with pp but the rod handle is very dangerous in my opinion. I have not only burnt myself but ruined fabric because of it. I like the Hobby design much better. I think that the newer Clover with the selection of tips may be improved. Just a tip I recently saw about resting the hot iron (mini), use a banker clip as a stand. I plan on trying it the next time I use it. Jayne

Thank you Gwen (sunnycentralfl). I finally got the Sealing Iron - Hanger 9.
I have only used it a little bit, but so far it does the job. There is a little bit of a learning curve, as the knob gets really hot, so I need to find the correct setting and leave it there, but overall I think it is safer then the clover as there is no more risk of getting burned than when using a regular iron. I did use it on a regular block where I needed to press the seams open (to reduce all that bulk) and it is great for that. My regular iron would burn my finger if I wasn't very, very careful. The tip of this iron justs lifts the seam allowance easily.
I would like to find a way to get a timer on it, so it will shut off on its own - if you have a solution to this, please share.
So, Thank you! Thank you! I liked the price too - $14.95!!! And I got it from a local hobby shop, so I paid no shipping.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mini iron

I have an alternative that I haven't seen mentioned & that is a small travel iron. I use one next to my sewing machine & like it alot, especially for those seams that need pressing before the next seam is sewn. Also keep my regular one set up in the laundry room that I use probably most of the time - gives me exercise to walk to that room & a chance for a peck on the cheek of DH in the family room! I have the Clover mini, older version, & I too have a scar to prove how hot it gets! Wow! REALLY hot! I still keep it around for those times when dealing w/tiny pcs of applique (& I love the loose feather idea, thanks! Odessa) I gave up buying 'high-quality' irons - they wear out just as fast as the cheap ones. I figure if I can get a year out of a $15 WalMart special that's fine. I will be more selective next time tho, as my last one didn't have a sharp point, rather a kind of rounded one,which wasn't the greatest for corners.

Lola-steam can be a quilters' friend or nightmare - it all depends on how you use it. Too much steam will stretch your fabric until it's bigger than you thought possible (make a 9" square a 10' square!) But steam also can save the day - esp if you need a little stretch to make things fit. (But that never happens to most of us...right?!)

I love reading what y'all are using. It's amazing we can go in so many different directions & arrive at the same place! Keep those ideas coming!:)
~Cindy

As a reply to the auto timer...I can only think of one soulution you may want to try: A power strip on the floor that you can click on/off with your foot. Maybe that would do the trick!

Glad you are enjoying it!

Gwen - in bearable 70 degree weather...still thawing out..plants are a mess...everything is brown... 80 tomorrow

I always use my 10yr. old travel iron for quilting. Handy for going to the clubhouse for quilting class....very light.
I will definately keep the "hobby" iron in mind for when this travel iron dies. That has always been a worry, since I never see thes little guys for sale anymore.

I logged on to post a question about irons and you have already posted LOL!!!!!!!!!
I had an expensive iron that lasted for years. But I wasn't leaving it on all day to quilt.
I retired and DH said we need another iron. Bought a Rowenta and it last over a year before it died. I was really bummed about it because it did have an auto off when I let it sit for a while.
DH wanted to buy another and I said no let's try a cheaper one. I paid $16 for a Sunbeam on sale and I am happy with it. We'll see how long it lasts!
I like steam except for the initial ironing when I use starch. Here in the south it takes too long to iron dry.
I had a mini iron and didn't like it. Maybe I didn't try hard enough to get used to it.
Rosa

My absolute favorite iron of all time was an old heavy Sunbeam. I go thru irons like crazy. Sometimes, I admit - it is my fault - I knock them on the floor, but the most expensive, worse iron I ever had was an expensive Rowenta. My main iron now is a Shark. I like it, but you have to "purge" the water to clean it frequently, even if you don't leave the water in it. I did it 2 times - horrible - you fill the iron, then hold it over a sink and continually press the steam button until it is emptied. No way am I ever doing this again. DH has been forbidden ever fill it with water! If you don't clean it - it spits nasty stuff all over your clothes. Other then that, it is a great iron :)

Found a new use for my Clover mini last night. I used the sharp tip to cut holes into template plastic that I had drawn a pattern for quilt marking. It worked pretty well and the tip wiped off without leaving residue. The heat is good for something. Jayne