I have one of those tiny irons that looks like a big one. I had a Clover mini iron and hated it! My tiny iron doesn't get much use, but I do use it when I'm paper piecing. It's very handy to have it right next to me so I don't have to get up every time I sew a seam to press it.

Donna

I don't use the mini one I have and not sure if I'd use a larger one like you received. I mostly use a travel iron next to my sewing machine for pressing and finger pressing for applique. If there's something else you've been wanting and would be more useful, I'd think strongly about returning it. But, should you paper piece, Donna makes a good point. Let us know what you decide.....

SharonG/FL

I have the mini. It's invaluable to me because without it I would certainly not be able to maintain the large number of burns I sustain annually on my fingers.

Seriously, I wanted one badly and was excited to get it, but I hate this thing and almost never use it anymore. It's an evil device designed to inflict pain! It's worth it to me to just position the ironing board closer to my sewing chair so I can use the regular iron when paper piecing.

Kate

I use the little Clover burn-your-fingers-every-time thingie so I bet you could find your mini iron very helpful.

Get a Mini FoldAway or somesuch to keep next to your machine then you can press and trim as you go without getting up. Then all you have to do is remember constantly not to put the iron down on the cutting side or to touch the soft ironing surface with your rotary cutter. (So far mine is still intact but I just know one day I'm going to blow it! ;>

I have the Hanger9 sealing iron - looks the same as the Hobbico- I Love-Love-Love it! Mine gets very hot - maybe 500 degrees(?). I did silicon glue the little stand to a piece of ceramic tile, leftover from a project, and I place that on a small useless cutting board w/ a handle from a food gift, so I have a handle to grip it in order to move it out of the way. I also plug it into a countdown timer I found at Amazon so it shuts off automatically after whatever #of minutes or hours I set. I use it when paper piecing, and making small blocks. I like to press - so use it where others finger press.
It has a sloped point, so it allows you to press exactly the spot you want w/out distortion.
Does it replace your regular iron? No, but it is a lot smaller and precise. I also take it to classes (and nobody wants to use it (yea!) because they don't realize it is an iron:)

I told her I didn't think I'd ever use it, so she is going to return it. I hated telling her that, but seeing how much it cost her, I thought there would be a better use of the money.

I also have a Clover mini-iron and never, ever use it (I think it now lives in the garage, where I don't even have to look at it!)

What I do find useful, especially when paper piecing, is a wallpaper roller (not the one in the link, but one like that). I find it sets just as well as an iron, and I don't need to worry about burning myself or my furniture!

Here is a link that might be useful: wallpaper seam roller

quiltnerd - good idea! Although....I used to use a wood pizza crust roller that was way to small for pizza to roll wallpaper seams-back when I used to hang wallpaper (that I hope never to do again). I'm sure I have a real wall paper seam roller in my tools.
Thanks for the hint. I hope to get back to my BOM-PP soon.

That roller is a good idea and probably distorts less than a wooden or plastic finger presser.

i should probably give credit to the book that I found the idea in, but it is in the baby room (/sewing room) and I don't want to risk waking her up!