bj, I'd say that was a wonderful retirement gift. They must have been a great group to work with!

Oh my gosh. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Rowenta - my model is "advanced" and I have never had one second of trouble with it. The only 2 little drawbacks are it was very expensive - I got it on sale for $100.00, but bought it at BB&B and had a 20% off coupon, so I really got it for a little over $80. The other drawback is you can only use spring water in it, so I buy a case of spring water and just keep it in my closet.

As far as getting really serious wrinkles out of fabric, I always use a product I buy at my local quilt shop called "Mary Ellen's Best Pess". The stuff works like a miracle.

Before the Rowenta and Mary Ellen's just would not iron anything unless I absolutely had to. Now I am even back to ironing my husband's cotton shirts and slacks!!!! He loves it too.

davis- I think would use distilled water instead of the spring water, in my iron. It is just my opinion.

FYI
You can purchase Best Press at Hancock Fabrics for alot less than on line or quilt shops. The shops charge $7.95 or $8.50 per bottle.

Hancock had it last week for $6.25....sometimes they put it on sale too.
Diana

I love my T-Fal brand iron. I've had it for several years, use it a LOT and it's still just like new.
As for the stubborn wrinkles.....I keep a spray bottle of just plain water right at my ironing board and it works better than spray starch. I found one that has a very fine mist. I don't like to use spray starch on my quilt tops because I don't wash the quilts before I give them to my family members and I don't know when they'll ever wash them. If a quilt is stored for a long time with starch on it there's a good possibility it will draw silver fish (bugs).

Hi everybody :)
The one way that I have found to effectively clean any goo off my iron is to plug it in, set it on cotton, and pour a teaspoon or so of regular table salt on a folded section of newspaper. Run your iron over it until the goo is all gone. Cost efficient and it doesn't harm your iron, or it never has mine. I do not have a teflon coating on mine however, so you might want to use a little caution there. I really don't think it would be abrasive enough to harm it though. Just keep the salt under the iron when you are cleaning. All you have to do is raise one side of the newspaper or the other to get it back in the middle. Just take an old toothbrush to get the excess out of the steam holes.
Anyway I have been keeping myself entertained looking at all of your pictures of all of the beautiful quilts. You are all doing a super terrific job. Keep up the excellent work.

I've never owned an iron that I'd recommend, although some have been worse than others. My current Rowenta works fine ... it puts out lots of steam and is fairly heavy, which I like. The bottom cleans up fine with Dritz iron-off hot iron cleaner. I appreciate the info. from John on the ConSew. I'll have that info. when my Rowenta dies, which I figure is only a matter of time.

:) I bought a Euro Pro It ia big unit but the results are out of this world. It's like you sent it to the cleaners to get pressed. It is also a steamer I use it to steam my carpets & cleaning the bathroom. It's 2 things in one . I bought it on Home Shopping Network. shrabar

I have a Rowenta and I do not like it, it does not get hot enough and the auto shut off causes me to have to wait so long for it to re-heat itself in between sewing time. I like my cheap Panasonic that I bought years ago in a Target store. It has the auto shut off but heats up real fast so that is not a problem for me. In fact I'm kinda glad it does because sometimes you get interrupted and forget to go back and turn it off.
I have a question though, can you run a vinegar solution through your iron periodically to remove the build-up of calcium, etc. like you do your coffee pot as long as you run a few refills of clear water through it afterward?

Hi. I was also looking for an iron awhile back and went on line and read all the comments. I ended up with a T-Fal. I spent under $50 on it at Target and I have to say I love it. I had been buying all the cheap ones and just couldn't see buying another nor did I have the money for a Roweta. My favorite thing on the T-Fal is the base. It is wider than normal and I need that . My other ones bit the dust because of kittys jumping on my ironing board or me bumping against it. Room is really tight in my room and I am a little wider than I should be. lol
It does have an automatic shut off, but I need that. Also I like the coating on the plate. fusible comes right off.
I had never heard of the brand but I figured I would try it and I am glad I did.

Thanks, I may have to take a look at that one. I am retired from Target so gotta love that lifetime discount card. I do not remember them having that one when I worked there but it is worth looking at.

Let us know how you like it. I'd be interested in knowing.

Let us know how you like it. I'd be interested in knowing.

Will do.

I use a cheap Proctor Silex from KMart and a spray bottle with water to dampen the fabric. I sometimes use spray starch and I've never had a problem. I've tried 2 Rowentas (one was the Professional) and I hated both. They are too heavy and the spray starch sticks.

Can't help on the iron. I've had a Rowerta on my "wish list" for quite some time -- but after all these postings, I'm not so sure I want it now.

As for the ironing spray, I love Mary Ellen's. You can get it at the LQS. It's pricey but worth it, as far as I'm concerned.

I have a Rowenta that I purchased at Costco about 8 years ago and love it. It gets quite hot quickly and I love the burst of steam. I've never had any problems with it.
I also bought a cheaper iron from Walmart to take to quilting classes but I don't care for it. It doesn't get hot enough to remove the wrinkles from fabric.

After 3 Rowntas and many others, I found
Black and Decker Digital Advantage
to be the best. I quilt alot and it shuts off automatically, but if I pick it up it only takes a few seconds to be ready to go. I bought 3 and one is still in the box. The 2 I.m using have not failed me.

Mine is the D2020

I, too, bought a Rowenta & hate it. All of the women I was sewing with had one & I felt like I must be missing something...I HATE IT!! It is much too heavy to be practical. I have gone back to my T-Fal Ultraglide which costs about $30. It has a self cleaner, non stick sole plate & most important (to me) is that it STEAMS like nothing else I have used. The self cleaner is really a shot of steam that you can use on those stubborn wrinkles.

I have a cheapy that was fine, want to say proctor silex, but it too, would sleep and I got a black and decker...think I paid about 30.00 for it and like it just fine.
I don't use steam on my blocks unless I want to stretch them for sizing. read that you quilt dry and use steam for stabilizers. If I had read that before working on my granddaughters quilt I might not be "fixing" it so much now.
I really like to know about products. good info.

I have a EuroSteam iron---it is GREAT. You never have to adjust the setting on it----you can go from silk to cotton and never adjust a dial. And it works very nice on pressing when Im quilting.
It is a little expensive but lasts for years so in the long run it pan's out about hte same as a Rowenta.
I also have a Shark that I bought at Sears for about $80.00 that I like to.

All of this is interesting. For all this time I have been feeling like the Lone Ranger because I didn't like my Rowenta. The first time I used it, it spurted a dark stain on my linen jacket. It wasn't long before it was leaking.

Now I have a Sunbeam Steam Master. There are things I like about it and there are drawbacks. It's heavy enough, has a nice soleplate, a nice point. But I find it shuts off after it has been down for a few (so it seems) seconds. Sometimes I like to press the dickens out of a piece, but I need to lift the iron to get it going again. Oh, and it was about $30. I figure when it does tumble from the ironing board, it will have served it's time and I'll just go on to something else. I think I will look into that T-Fal. Haven't heard of it until now.

They make special products to remove that stuff from your iron, but I found a tip once (I think in Love of Quilting) about using dryer sheets & have been using them ever since. Sometimes it take a couple - use on a hot iron & wipe down the bottom of your iron. Always make sure you have a paper towel or some scrap fabric to iron on to remove the stuff. It kind of turns yellow/brown/black so make sure you get it off BEFORE really ironing anyting.

I purchased a Rowenta travel iron for classes and vacation sewing/quilting. It is great, it gets super hot. I got this idea from Sharon Schamber during one of her classes. It has a long handle. Sharon had a small board covered in carpet type material and just layed the iron down on its side after each use. I use a hot pad on a towel. I never unplug it and keep it next to my machine on the towel. You can use steam or not.

For patchwork it is excellent.
When purchasing an iron, it depends on your intended use. For ironging cloting you would need a larger iron than this travel iron.

Diana

You can also iron a piece of wax paper to get the sticky off...a very frugal 'cleaner', but works well!

I had the same thing happen to me so I called one of the experts in my quilt guild. She told me to take a brown paper bag and sprinkle on iodized salt then run the hot iron over it. I tried it and it worked perfectly, but I then had to shake the iron around a little to get the salt out. I liked it because it was something I had around the house and didn't have to go 30 miles to a quilt shop to buy something special for the clean up. I was back to quilting in about 15 minutes.
Angie

What can be done to clean out the inside of the iron as it builds up the chemicals that are in the water. I have a great old panasonic iron that I use for large pieces after washing them but sometimes it spits out a light rusty colored water for just a second at the beginning of ironing. Can you run a vinegar bath through it like you do in a coffee pot or is there a product to use that will clean out the inside. It is either that or I will have to go get me another cheapy iron.

I use vinegar in mine. I use it straight. The smell can knock you over but it does a great job!

Debbie

You can use a vinegar bath. My favorite method will void any warranty, but IMO it works better than vinegar. I use "Iron Out", a powder you can get at hardware stores that is used to clean water softeners. I use a solution of it inside my iron when it needs a good cleaning.

For calcium deposits clogging the steam vent openings, I use some patience and a large glass-headed pin to scrape them off. Some of the bits go inside the iron, but they are usually small enough that they don't clog the openings and, if they come out, they don't stain anything.

Mary

Thanks, I can deal with the smell and it will go away in time but I just hate ruining fabric with the rusty markings it leaves.

If your iron is spitting out the rusty stuff, it may take more than one application of the vinegar.

I don't think it's just the water that causes the problem. Perhaps it's just corrosion inside the iron. (I've had a brand new iron spit out rust. Wonder if it was one that had been returned and put back in stock.) In my newest iron, I have used ONLY distilled water, and occasionally I will get a drop of that yellowy stuff. I haven't used vinegar yet.

I may try the Iron Out next time.

I won't worry about the warranty, bc I usually drop the dang thing (or it falls of the ironing board) before it reaches old age. :roll:

As requested by Bearpaw...

I received my Consew iron today, got it set up and went to work. First of all, it is heavy! I adjusted my ironing board to hip height to allow for the weight. It irons like a dream. It took me less time to press my husband's handkerchiefs. One pass and the wrinkles were out. With my Rowenta it seems as though I have to iron and re-iron. As a week or two goes by I will post again and let you know how it is working out.

Kanoelani

I am so embarrassed. :oops: I can remember there was a time when I did the ironing. I don't remembered the last time that I ironed handkerchiefs. I fold them hot out of the dryer and that's that. As far as my clothes goes, I press before I wear. DH's shirts go to the laundry. (That's his :wink: treat.) Once in a while I'll slip one of mine in there.

And speaking of handkerchiefs. My sister was looking for a pretty handkerchief to give to a mother-of-the-bride friend of hers. She searched everywhere in our local stores. NONE. Many people didn't even know what a "handkerchief" was. Any ideas?? The last I saw of a handkerchief was at Hancock's, but they've closed. All of the little shops that once sold those are closed.

Thanks for letting us know. I was wondering if you got it yet. Glad to hear you like it. Do you find the water bottle to be a nuisance? And, silly question, can you turn the steam off? Thanks again Kanoelani!!

I have been through 3 irons in the last year. I don't drop them, and I am careful to follow the directions they come with. The last one to go was the Sunbeam "No Drip" I bought at Target. I had it 11 months and suddenly water everywhere.

So I went online to lots of sites and blogs about irons. I read the reviews by owners and consumer product companies. When I saw that most people really liked the Black and Decker Digital Advantage D2030, I bought one through Amazon. I just used it this morning for the first time and I am im-pressed! LOL

It gets much, much hotter than the Sunbeam, holds a lot of water so I don't have to keep refilling. It makes tons of steam and is heavy. I think the stainless steel plate will be just fine.

PS. I called Sunbeam to complain. I faxed them a copy of the receipt I still had and they are sending me a new one for free. So I will have a back up, but this time I don't think I will need it. Can give it to DD when she moves out.

You all are really confusing me!!

When I'm sewing together a quilt top and press seams -- do I use steam or not???? (I used steam on my last quilt top -- is that why it was wonky???)

Do I use steam when I'm pressing fabrics for quilting? Sometimes I don't like to wash before using but fabric is always wrinkled and needs help before cutting....

I used to iron without steam, but now that I do steam, I like it better.

You can learn correct pressing methods from Eleanor Burns or Quiltville.com

It is important that you don't push the fabric around with the iron, and don't iron on the bias. Iron along the selvages, not side to side. Use the tip or the side to direct the seam your pressing and put the iron down on it when it is in position. You can finger press first to get it to lay down too.

this is a timely topic. I have a rowenta- paid alot for it, and it's several years old. i like a heavy iron and lots of steam. Well, it's started spitting, and that's no good. Also, something is on the bottom of it- scratches, I don't know what- can't clean it- have used every measure available- so I'm in the market for a new iron. I can't find John's link to the iron talked about. I will look at the t-fal, a B&D, and this consew iron. These seem like the most loved ones on this list.
Cheryl

Don't buy the Black & Decker D2030 recommended in Consumers Report, it will do like all the other B&D products I've bought recently,die after 13 months, warranty is 12 months....

Linda

My vote is the Black and Decker Classic, heavy ,irons those wrinkles the first time, set on between 4&5, doesn't have all those gizmos but does the job the first time. Have had mine about 8yrs would not trade it for a fancy.