Panicked, but lucky!
 

I have been sick for the last two weeks, no voice, bronchitis, cough, etc. Last weekend I sewed for a little while on a lap quilt that I am making for my daughter, hoping to have at least the top together for Christmas. Well, that was a week ago and tonight I came into my sewing room to use the computer and heard a little noise, the kind that the iron makes when you are using it! Yes, you got it, the iron has been on all that time. I am shocked and grateful that nothing happened during this week. It could have been a terrible disaster! I still can't believe that it has been on all this time.

Sooooooooooooooooo, be especially careful when you don't feel well or if you are in a rush. I needed to share this with all you who I know understand. I'm pretty sure I must have a quilting angel watching over me!

Oh my!! I am glad you are feeling better and I am soooooo glad the iron didn't catch anything on fire. Whew!

Dina

Mine has been on for the last several weeks too. I had surgery and couldn't reach the cord end, and because I am the only one in here, I felt safe enough to do it. I know, risky, but I never would have gotten anything done for 6 weeks if I hadn't. Shame on me! Maybe I have a quilting angel watching over me too!

Sheri and Kathleen, I'm glad that nothing bad happened. I, too have left my iron on before (but just overnight), so when I am finished ironing, I unplug and lay the cord on top of the ironing board. The last thing I do when I leave the room for the day is close the window blinds. I have to reach around ironing board to do it, so I see cord.

Wow glad nothing happened mine goes across the door way so I always remember to unplug it

OMG! You are lucky! I have to trip over my iron if I'm not using it, so it always gets unplugged.

So glad nothing happened. :) Hope you are feeling better soon.

I did that once. I went out and got a timer to plug my iron into so it will shut off after midnight (or whatever time I decide that I should quit sewing).

Glad it didn't start a fire! I saw an idea once that someone plugged her iron into a set of Christmas lights on a power bar. It would be pretty hard to miss a lit up string of lights before you leave the room.:)

I have my iron plugged into a power strip with a floor light. I have to pass the ironing board and floor light on my way out of the room. I use the switch on the power strip so I know that my iron is turned off when the light is off.

even having it plugged in with a lamp on the same power strip and turn the switch off on the power bar for both when you are done or even with the sewing machine on the same power bar.

I was doing that also. I also plugged everthing into a strip including the light, that way I remember to flip the switchon the strip.

I have done this. My iron has an auto switch that goes into "hold" mode after a while. I hate it when I am piecing and ironing because it shuts off way too often for me, but it was a life saver when I left it on one night...maybe more than one night. Oops.
Shame on me

Don't feel bad. I left a burner on my electric stove all night last week. At least it was only on low.

I also left my iron on before that's why I have my iron plugged into a power strip along with my sewing machine.I know if the light on my machine is on then so is the iron.I turn off the power strip and everything is off at once. works for me and I don't have to worry that my machines foot control has power either as some people have had them start fires.

I have the same set up ~ light & iron in power strip. But one time DH was being helpful and turned out the light for me . . . NO, no . . I had to explain the whys and wherefores.

So glad it turned out okay!

I am so glad that the iron did not catch on fire, but I do understand how it can happen. Early last week I had been sewing early in the morning, didn't unplug the iron when I finished thinking I needed to press grandson's pants before he went to school. Well you guessed it, he worn sweat pants not jeans and I forgot the iron was on. Got into car and went shopping, gone all day. Came home, walked into sewing room and there was iron on. I have 4 cats who are always in that room and get into everything. Could have been a real disaster. I have even left jar candles burning while I left the house. My short term memory is getting really bad, husband now is double checking before we go anywhere.

I hope you are feeling better and I sure am glad everything is OK.
I have always unplugged my iron EVERY time I use it. Except once! It was on all night. When I realized it, I swore to myself that I would always remember to unplug it. Besides, it saves energy.
Merry Christmas!

Whew!! You really dodged a bullet! I'm always so afraid I'll do something like that. I've left the stove or oven on, but not when I left the house. We all need to be REALLY careful. Glad you're feeling better and that nothing bad happened. Thanks for sharing this with us and reminding us that we can't take our ordinary household appliances for granted.

I bought a little stretchy bracelet that I hang on the handle of the iron. When I turn the iron on, I put the bracelet on my right arm. When I turn it off, I put the bracelet back on the handle. Should I be downstairs and find the bracelet still on my arm, I immediately know that the iron is still on and run up and turn it off and return the bracelet to the iron!

My biggest fear is an iron left on. It's happened to us all. What a scare you must of had! So glad all is well.

Glad you a feeling bettter,you need one that shuts off by its self I too have left mine on thankfully it shuts off Buy a shark

I'm very fortunate that the wall circuit my iron is plugged into is the same as the wall switch. When I leave and turn out the light the iron turns off. But I try my hardest to remeber to turn it off.
MaryKatherine

I used to do this frequently also.Then I read (either here or on another site) about plugging inthe iron to an extention cord along with a small desk lamp;then plugging in the extention cord instead of the iron.When the iron is on so is the lamp.Whenever I was in a rush to leave the sewing room or got distracted and left; I would see the light on and go back in and unplug the extention cord.Works like a dream for me! Hope this can help all who do this as well.

This is my system also my grandson made me the wood bead bracelet when he was very young and it really helps, there are two actually the macroni one is with my heated hair rollers (after ruining a set by leaving it on)

I think there is a Quilting and Sewing Angel that is always on guard. I volunteer at a historical site in the costume shop and unplugging the iron is of the utmost importance. A fire in the shop would be disastrous. I am sure those angels have had to protect many since the invention of the iron.

The bracelet idea is great. I am going to use that from now on.

Throw that iron out and buy yourself one with an auto shut off...it will be money well spent and give you peace of mind.
I have my auto shut off iron plugged into an outlet that operates the light switch in the room. Its a double safety as I am super observant of lights off all the time.

when my auto shut off iron died, I bought a new one I thought. Turns out I bought one that turns off "after 30 minutes" not like my old one, after "30 minutes not being moved". AND the way you reset it is to unplug it and plug it back in, which I don't think is super safe, but this post reminds me of the pani when I found my old old iron on overnight!

I am so thankful that all came out well!!! You are very blessed!!!

My iron is plugged into the outlet controlled by the light switch that way when I leave the room I turn off the switch -no more iron left on. Now if I could only remember to turn off the sewing machine it would be nice! My machine is in front of the window and the sun makes it impossible to tell machine is on when I take a break!

You're really lucky. I am so afraid that the cats will knock over the iron, I bought one with auto shutoff when I recently replaced my iron.

There are a lot of really good ideas here because I'm pretty lazy about bending down and getting under the ironing board to unplug the iron. Think I'll head down to the basement and get one of those power strips with the off button. :)

Because I know I can be forgetfull, I always buy an iron that has auto shutoff if the iron isn't used for a while. Wish it would unplug itself also, but at least it's not hot.

I too, have the light on in the room as long as the iron is on. That way everyone in the house knows to check the iron before turning off that light. LOL
It has auto shutoff, but I don't want to leave it plugged in either. I just don't trust electricity!

So glad nothing bad happened. Most new irons shut off automatically. Perhaps it's time for a new one. I leave mine plugged in all the time as it shuts itself off after 20 min. of non-use. I have to practically stand on my head to unplug it so I leave it plugged in all the time. so far, so good.

This is my setup also and it works great. Before these strips I used to leave mine on also and it was scary when I realized what I'd done. I was very fortunate that nothing happened.

I have been purchasing autoshut off irons for that reason...I forget. I buy hair curling irons that shut off automatically, too.l

I got careless about remembering to turn my iron off. My DH bought me one that automatically shuts off. I hate the thing because it turns itself off after about 5 minues. But I don't have to worry about whether I turned it off or not. Love my DH for his protection tho.