Has anybody used, tried, have an opinion on the Clover Mini Irons? I wanted to purchase one for appliqueing, but have read some really negative remarks on Joann's "review this product" section. They seem expensive, and I do not want to spend that kind of money if they really are a "flop". Thanks for your input, as always I am sure it will be worth its weight in knowledge. Bea

I haven't tried that one.. but I just got a mini craft iron today for my birthday.. can't wait to try it out!!

Would appreciate your feedback, also the type that you received. Happy birthday, or am I belating it? Is that even a word? LOL Bea

Was thinking of buying. Will wait now for more feedback.

If you mean the ones that have a small iron shape on a long (8")stem. I have had one for several years and use it almost everyday. I do mostly hand piecing sitting in my recliner and have the iron on the table next to it. Have a reversable lap thingy that you can cut on one side and iron on the other. I like my iron. But be careful because they really do get hot.

I have one and have never really liked it. I have a small black & decker travel iron which folds done into a small carrying case, I like it much better. Sunbeam has a small travel iron too that my daughter purchased and it is real nice. You can do both steam and dry ironing with both. I would waste my money on the other.

My favorite mini iron is Hobbico. I also have the blue tile iron holder. I've used Clover mini irons, but I don't care for them.

http://www.softexpressions.com/softw...obbico.php#hob

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/hca/hcahcar8000.htm

Thanks Minda, I went to the Hobbylinc. site, that's a dangerous site to know about!!! LOL More ideas for adding to my hobbies - I thank you for the info and also the links. Bea

I have one. I really like it. It's great for applique and when you need to press really tiny pieces like for the Dear Jane quilt. It does get VERY hot so you need to be careful.

I'm pretty cheap!! I had the clover in my basket at JoAnn's and when I was passing the iron isle, I saw the cutest little iron that was pink for 9.99 & I had a 50% off coupon!!! Brought home the little pink one. Too cute for words!!! Brings me a smile just thinking about it.

I have one of these - I bought it really just for decoration (since, like you say, it looked so cute). Now that I've read in many places that people actually use them, I have a question. I seem to remember in the instructions (which I can no longer find) that you shouldn't leave it on for more than 10 minutes at a time. Is this correct, or am I dreaming??

I have one and it works fine for me. I only use it on very small areas, like seams when I don't want to use a regular size iron.

I have the Clover Iron and you would have to pry it from my cold dead hands before I will give it up. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it for pressing seams. I use a small travel iron for pressing my finished blocks. I keep my Clover Iron in a coffee cup while I'm using it. That prevents me from trying to pick it up by the rod. (been there done that ain't fun)

I have a Clover Mini Iron and use it all the time. I was at a quilt show a few years ago and found the coolest little ironing board that measures 4" by 10" and it has a silver thermal cover. The board screws onto my sewing table and has a little arm that you can move to either side that hold the iron vertically. Don't you just love gadgets...

OK folks, it would seem that the Clover is the recommended iron. I messed up on a project - me I would never do that! - but in my defense I did it well LOL. Cut out parts for 48 Sun Bonnet Sue appliques, never placed a piece of fusible on any of the fabric (grrrrrrr) so now I have lots of pieces to turn, and my big iron is just not the ticket - burned fingers, thumbs and a few other "things" that got in the way (the critters are fine). So I am pricing them and they seem to vary greatly in price, from $25.00 up to close to $70. Cruised eBay and am watching a couple, to see if I can snag one for a great price. Thank you all so much, you are always so full of info. Bea

I have the original mini Clover Iron, and wish I had waiting until the 2nd version came out, as you can get interchangable plates for it. The plate on mine is really only large enough to use for things like pressing down bias when appliquéing (in my opinion). Alot of places where you attend retreats don't have enough power to run all the machines & full irons. The little clover ones don't take much.

I have a clover mini iron and I love it. Works great for paper piecing. One word of caution, it gets EXTREMELY hot. I know this because I've burned myself several times and have the scars to prove it!

I haven't tried one yet

Actually I don't remember reading that, I haven't had a problem. All I know is that you don't put water in it. Has worked fine. Going to use it for hopefully lifting fused applique to put the stem under. I actually like the fact that it stands up like an iron. You really need to be careful with the clover, because of the hot open steel area on it. I can see burning myself with that! :lol: :lol:

I have the Hobbico too and I like it. It's a good one for taking to classes or traveling - not too big or small.

I have the little Clover and have used it for many years,still works. I just bought a small travel iron and will see which works best for me. Jolo

I have the clover mini and I use it for fusing.
I make wall hangings with the 1" squares on the fusible grid..works great........

tiny but one needs tiny for some projects!!!

The long stick type mini-iron with the triangle shaped head that you may or may not be able to change to different shapes? Yes, I have one and find it very useful for small work where I can't get a flat press without messing up somthing nearby with the big iron.

I first used it to heat set fusible small pieces inside blocks or to fuse small pieces while fabric is still in the embroidery hoop.

When you need flat heat in a tight spot so you don't melt something nearby, you want a super small long necked iron.

Once you try it a few times you won't want to let it go.

Yes, they do take longer to heat up, and yes, set it down the same way each time in the same place or you are going to grab it by the business end by accident. But we already trained ourselves to do this with big irons, didn't we?

have fun,

I have a Clover mini iron. A good friend bought it for me about 7 years ago. Am really disappointed in it, the temp control button broke off immediately and now I can't seem to "dial" it to get hot enought to do any real seam pressing. If there is one out there that I could be sure would put out some heat, it would have to come home with me.

I have and love mine. Would'nt be without it. I keep mine in a cup to. Wait and buy it with a 50% off cupon.

I don't remember the directions either, however, in one of my sewing classes the instructor showed everyone how her husband attached/spliced an on/off switch to the cord so she could turn it off and on. I haven't asked my husband to do this yet. I did purchase a Rowenta traveling iron which I like very much. I can iron 'in the hoop' when I am embroidering and you can use the steam setting or not. I like it very much.

I have a little iron I bought at JoAnns that sits about 4 inches tall. I don't care for it at all because the plug in is on the left side and when I go to use it the plug falls out. Frustrating. It looks like a regular iron, only plastic. I really think someone who is left handed could use it better.

I and several of the girls in my ASG NG have one and love it. I use mine always for stained glass and it's invaluable for PP.

I have a Clover Mini Iron and its great so you don't have to get up and down for the big iron which is what I was doing now I can sew and press without getting up.

I have one and I like mine. It's great for getting into small areas.

I have the Clover's mini iron and like it for putting bias tape down. I also have the Hobbico little craft iron and use it when I'm quilting as it has a little wider base. I have used the travel iron on seam when I sew. I feel each iron has it's own place. If you have something really small, the clover mini iron is it. Something else I use all the time is a "Cool finger", sure saves a person finger. It's like a knit glove for one finger, but it doesn't transfer hear.

I love my iron! Have had it for years and am using it for an applique project right now. I use freezer paper and turn under the seam allowance. Works like a charm! I will be trying a coffee cup as holder this afternoon. Funny how there is always something new to learn!
Purl

I have had one for several years (received as a gift) and use it all the time for paper-piecing. Seems that the small head works best for this. Never had any problems with it.

But I have another (very old) small iron I use for small projects.

If I decided to buy another one, I'd buy the one that has the interchangable heads so it can have more uses.

Would I buy another one? Yes. I am happy with this product.

I have a little pink travel iron. When the heating element burned out I tried to find a new one to no avail. My husband, tired of my whining, took it apart and found a part that worked and fixed it. That has been about ten years ago and it is still going strong. I have a little dolly ironing board that I like to use to sit in my easy chair and iron quilt blocks/pieces/borders,binding, etc. I also discovered when we moved that I have a kids dolly iron. I have not tried it but it looks like it would be fine for fusible applique as it has no holes in the soleplate.

I'm curious about your dolly iron board. Is it a "toy"? I'm making doll clothes and need a small ironing board to work on.
Thanks!

I have the model you are talking about and I like it. I waited for a coupon of course. I don't have any other model to compare it with but it works great for applique and small corners etc.

I bought one several years ago and don't like it at all. I never thought it got hot enough. Money better spent on more fabric!

I love, love my Clover Iron. Just a word of caution though. I had it on the stand that it comes with, and somehow I must have knocked it off the stand, because the next time I looked, it has fallen and melted the stand and got plastic all over the iron and my ironing mat. Thank goodness, I got the plastic off the iron, but now I will buy a better quality stand. The iron is wonderful for seams as you quilt....I have mine right beside my sewing machine. It gets really hot too.

I had a "wand" type mini iron with an iron rest but it flopped around, just would not rest in its holder. I put it on the free table at guild. I like my $6.99 regular iron I bought at Walgren's and the June Taylor iron/cutting board I got for my birthday one year.