A small but neat feature is the machine's fold down lid that protects the bobbin and mechanism while in use, it's the kind of design touch more costly machines offer but at this price it's another sign of excellent value for money because this kind of protection will ensure the machine will last. Brother Innov-is F420 review: should you buy one?

The large, bright, clear, full colour LCD touch screen display offers user-friendly controls to select designs, edit embroidery patterns and adjust stitches. Words come easily when you have 13 embroidery fonts at your fingertips. And even easier when you combine them with the on-screen editing function. Use the clear, colour LCD touchscreen to flip, rotate, change the colour and repeat designs and text. You can repeat the process at the end of the seam to secure the stitches at the end of sewing too. Automatic Reverse or Reinforcement Stitch Button The bobbin winder doubles up as the stand for the extra spool pin (included with the accessories for the machine) so you can sew with a twin needle (also included).Not only does this Brother sewing machine come with a twin needle, at the touch of a button it will convert to twin needle settings! Gently release the lever and the thread will pass through the eye of the needle. Gently pull until the loose end of the thread is all the way through the needle. Use the pivot function for easy and accurate fabric rotation and ultra-sharp finishes. Keep your work neat with the automatic thread cutter. And, for perfect embroidery positioning, use the LED needle pointer to drop your needle exactly where it needs to be. Yet, turn it on and the Brother Innovis NV1800Q impresses. The LCD touchscreen is bright and clear, and its menus are obvious in what each does (believe me, this isn’t always the case). I love how the buttons below the LCD screen light up too, both because it looks elegant and I know what it's set to do at a glance. Professional finishes come as standard with Brother’s innovative Square Feed Drive System (SFDS), giving you superior quality, strong stitching on any fabric. With four-way side feeding decorative stitches are precise and crisp. With top auto thread tension you won’t need to worry about the durability or look of your stitches.

Now, the killer feature: sideways sewing. This is brilliant for sewing accurate squares and geometric patterns. Using sideways sewing means you don’t need to lift the foot, move the material, drop the foot to carry on sewing; this really helps when sewing large pieces of material.

Innov-Is 15 Overview

The machine will now be set to finish with the needle in the up position. Second Spool Pin for Twin Needle

Crazy quilting design: A range of specially designed new crazy quilt stitches are ideal for the avid quilter. These distinctive designs give you a fantastic range of choice perfect for any project.

The Brother Innovis F420 offers high-end features at a low price, so is there a catch?

Making your stitch selections could not be easier. Simply key in the number of the pre programmed stitch you would like to use. This is your sewing control centre. The most frequently used stitches, like zigzag, straight, blind hem, ricrac, triple straight stretch and slant stretch have their own place on the touch panel. Each will allow you to sew perfect seams on any weights of fabric thanks to automatic foot pressure. With high stitch-out speeds of up to 1050 stitches per minute, you’ll create beautiful embroidery faster than ever before. Take the loose end of the thread and bring it through thread guide number one, around thread guide number two, down the front of the machine, around guide number three then take it from right to left at guide four ensuring it's secured in the take up lever.

In the unlikely event that you have a problem just get in touch and more often than not we can resolve any issues over the phone. The one downside is the Brother Innovis F420 doesn't come with a Walking foot for quilting. It's quite capable of patchwork, but if you need to go further and stitch the layers of material together as a quilt you'll need to spend money on a proper Waking foot.

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Expandable library of built-in tutorials - View over 30 enhanced tutorial videos directly on the high-definition LCD display (version 1.2) – with everything from basic operations to embroidery functions. Revolutionary StitchVision Technology - Clearly preview stitches and embroidery designs directly on your fabric with this intelligent projection system. Preview, audition and edit your designs and stitches in a 5" x 3" virtual preview area. Select whether the needle should be up or down when the machine stops. A useful function when turning material, sewing corners or joining quilt pieces. Snap on presser feet To resume a faster speed of sewing just move the slider across and continue sewing. Start Stop Button