Clean Your Iron Day!

     It's Official.  

     Today has been dedicated to clean irons everywhere.  It doesn't matter what day you are reading this.  Take a few minutes to appreciate your iron and give it a good cleaning.  I have a wonderful Rowenta Steam system.  Yesterday I looked at it, I mean really looked at it, instead of just looking at the fabric I was ironing.  The poor thing should have sued me for neglect.  Not only did it need to be emptied, rinsed and have the sole plate cleaned, it needed a bath!  

     I use lots of spray sizing and the side and top of the iron were covered in overspray.  It was time to give one of my favorite tools a little tender loving care.  This particular iron has a huge water tank as well as a plug to clean out those scale flakes that accumulate.  It really is a fabulous iron.  If you are in the market for a new one, I suggest that you consider making an investment in this one.

     You will rarely hear me suggest a shopping trip to JoAnn Fabrics, but in the case of this iron, that is exactly where I purchase it.  But not until it was on sale.  Sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas this model is deeply discounted, but they don't included it in the sale flier.  As a designer, I have wholesale accounts and can order items at cost.  This iron was cheaper on sale.  The regular price is $299.  I got mine for around $189 and it has been worth every penny.  This exact model is on sale at Sur LaTable.com right now for $199. 

     You will see some negative reviews for this model because the name of this iron is the "compact" steam system.  It is definitely not compact.  The water tank is large enough to hold 1.2L of water.  That's a lot of steam when you are pressing seams or preshrinking fabric.  The white button on the side allows you to empty the tank of any "gunk" that accumulates.  No extra filters are needed. 

     Over the last 18 months this iron has grown to be one of the notions in my sewing room that I don't want to live without.  It falls into the same category as my Koala Sewing Chair and my Stella Lights.  These are big budget items (Koala Chair, retail $399, Stella Light $189) that make working in my sewing room so enjoyable.  I've always believed that you can do anything if you have the right tools.  Although I could certainly make a quilt while sitting on a kitchen chair and pressing with a $19 iron, I'm worth the investment - and so are you! 

     Obviously I love my sewing machines and my longarm, but these three items make my sewing life more fun, so that I want to sew even more.  I invested in them after lots of research and chose wisely.  Now I'm letting all of you know how happy I am with them to hopefully take some of the risk out of your buying decisions.

     What are the items in your sewing room that you wouldn't want to live without?  Are there products that you would like to highly recommend to others?  Leave a comment here or post one on the Friends of The Quilt Company Facebook page.  If you aren't a member of our private page, send a friend request and I will be happy to approve you ASAP!  Happy Sewing!