Irons are important to me. A big iron (obviously) but I use my little iron all of the time. So much easier on my shoulder than picking up a huge iron over and over again.
Also, buy quality fabric. You can find deals too ... check the clearance section.
One more thing ... I love Clover's serrated scissors. They grip the fabric better and they're not so gigantic.
http://www.amazon.com/SteamFast-SF-7...rds=small+iron