Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Help! and a recipe :)

Good morning! Last night I found some blocks that I had machine appliqued but not stitched together. I thought rather than put them back in a box (where I forget about them) that I would put them on a pants hanger in the closet with my other ufo's. These blocks are from the book Egg Money Quilts by Eleanor Burns and are a quick way of doing a Grandmother's Flower Garden. So here's the problem! My iron is apparently filthy!
Here's the first block I ironed. And here's the damage:
Does anyone know how to clean the iron? This is the most expensive iron I've ever owned and I just love it (until now),. I have some iron cleaner in a tube and I tried it and it did not work! I tried ironing over a dryer sheet and it did not work. Help!!!!

On a lighter note, on Pinterest a while back, I found a recipe for the scent that is in Williams Sanoma. It makes their entire store smell wonderful. Well, you just take a lemon and slice it, a few sprigs of Rosemary and some pure Vanilla Extract and simmer in a pan of water on your stove. When it "cooks down" you can just add more water. It keeps for days. I put some on this morning and it is heavenly.

Have to go to work now but thanks in advance for any "iron fixes" you guys can share with me! I can't function without my iron! Have a great Wednesday! Hope you find some time to sew! Cheery wave from Bev

12 comments:

carolyn said...

Have you tried lemon juice?
I hear that works. I have also used rubbing alcohol.
To clean your Iron. Run some dilluted vinegar water trough it.

20 North Ora said...

Bev, I use some stuff in the notions department of JoAnn's. It's in a tube like toothpaste and I believe it's called Clean Iron but am not sure.

You get your iron real hot and rub this on with a soft cloth and it cleans wonderfully!

I always turn on my steam and iron on some scraps for a little while because sometimes it gets up in the steam vents.

I have a Rowenta and have used this stuff with much success.

Good luck.

Judy

Catskill Quilter said...

You might try to find their site online, and see if there are instructions there. Now I realize, I have forgotten to clean mine! My not very special iron has a cycle for cleaning...I wish I knew what to suggest for the already ironed block; the only thing I can think of is to remove the applique, and stitch it to another piece of off-white!

Lynn said...

Once I had a messy ironing problem, I read to iron a dryer sheet to help get the muck off of it, and it seemed to work pretty well.

Lynn said...

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/new-uses-for-old-things/new-use-dryer-sheets-00000000013069/index.html

Carol said...

Try a Magic Eraser, it works for me.

Leanne said...

Hi Bev, doesn't it say on the box or in the instructions how to clean your iron? Can you fill it with water and put it on the steam setting, that might clean it out a bit.That recipe sounds so good, where would I find pure vanilla though.

Kathy H said...

I have used the clean iron paste and that usually works but have had more success with a used fabric softener sheet. i also heard that crumbled up aluminum foil works (never tried it) and also mr. clean magic eraser (haven't tried that either). hope you find something that will work. for inside, i also have heard of the diluted vinegar and steam it out.

Missy Shay said...

I always just put vinegar where the water goes, then steam iron a towel until the vinegar is gone, then put some water in it and repeat on the towel. That usually works.

Margaret said...

I have used the stuff in the tube and it worked but left an awful odor forever. I have also used the Mr. Clean sponge and that worked great.

Rhonda the Rambler said...

I have always just ironed used dryer sheets. You may need to do it a couple times but works well.

Cathy said...

No solutions for you, but good luck!! The scent sounds divine!!