Description

Brother Innov-is F580 Sewing & Embroidery Machine

Duncan’s Review of the Brother Innov-is F580

Having demonstrated, sold and serviced sewing and embroidery machines for many years, I believe the Brother Innov-is F580 sits in one of the strongest positions in the Brother range. It combines a capable sewing machine with a fully featured embroidery machine, making it an excellent choice for anyone who wants to enjoy both crafts without needing two separate machines.

What I particularly like about the F580 is how approachable it is. Many sewing and embroidery machines can feel intimidating when you first sit down in front of them, but Brother has done an excellent job of making the F580 straightforward to use. The colour touchscreen, automatic needle threader, drop-in bobbin and clear menus mean you spend less time learning the machine and more time creating.

For customers who want to move into embroidery but don’t want to sacrifice sewing performance, the F580 is one of the machines I recommend most often. Unlike some combination machines that excel at one function but compromise on the other, the F580 performs both tasks extremely well.

Who Is the Brother Innov-is F580 Right For?

The Brother Innov-is F580 is ideal for:

• Dressmakers looking to add embroidery to their garments
• Quilters who want decorative embroidery designs
• Hobby sewists wanting one machine that does everything
• Home crafters creating personalised gifts
• Small business owners producing embroidered products
• Customers upgrading from a basic sewing machine
• Sewists wanting wireless design transfer through Artspira

Who Should Consider Something Else?

The F580 may not be the right choice if:

• You only want a sewing machine and have no interest in embroidery
• You need an industrial embroidery machine for high-volume production
• You require a very large embroidery area for oversized projects
• You want a dedicated long-arm quilting machine

In those situations, it may be worth considering alternative Brother models or a dedicated embroidery machine.

What Fabrics Can the Brother Innov-is F580 Sew?

One of the biggest strengths of the Brother Innov-is F580 is its versatility across a wide range of fabrics.

Cotton

The F580 handles quilting cotton, dressmaking cotton and home furnishing cotton with ease. The Square Feed Drive System helps maintain consistent stitch quality throughout the project.

Jersey and Stretch Fabrics

The machine performs exceptionally well on jersey fabrics thanks to its adjustable foot pressure, stretch stitches and excellent fabric feeding system.

French Terry and Sweatshirt Fabrics

French terry, loopback jersey and sweatshirt fabrics feed smoothly through the machine, making it ideal for modern garment sewing projects.

Lycra and Performance Fabrics

Whether you’re making activewear, dancewear or sports garments, the F580 offers the stitch control required for stretchy technical fabrics.

Fleece

Fleece and thicker fleece-backed fabrics are handled comfortably thanks to the machine’s powerful feeding system.

Denim

The F580 can sew multiple layers of denim for alterations, garment making and bag-making projects.

Linen

Lightweight and heavyweight linens sew beautifully, producing neat and professional results.

Chiffon and Delicate Fabrics

The adjustable presser foot pressure helps the machine handle delicate fabrics such as chiffon, voile and lightweight silks more effectively.

Quilting Fabrics

The combination of the Square Feed Drive System and included walking foot makes the F580 particularly popular with quilters.

Is the Brother Innov-is F580 Good for Quilting?

Absolutely.

Many of our quilting customers choose the F580 because it combines strong sewing performance with embroidery capabilities.

Features quilters particularly appreciate include:

• Square Feed Drive System (SFDS)
• Included walking foot
• Adjustable foot pressure
• Needle up/down function
• Automatic thread cutting
• Large selection of quilting stitches
• Decorative embroidery motifs for quilt embellishment

The machine handles patchwork piecing, free-motion quilting and decorative quilting extremely well.

Sewing Performance

The Brother Innov-is F580 includes an impressive selection of sewing features designed to make every project easier.

Key sewing features include:

• 241 built-in stitches
• Automatic needle threader
• Automatic thread cutter
• Needle up/down control
• Lock stitch function
• Adjustable speed control
• Start/stop button
• Knee lift compatibility
• Drop feed facility
• My Custom Stitch™ function

Whether you’re sewing garments, quilts, soft furnishings or crafts, the machine offers the control and precision needed for professional-looking results.

Embroidery Performance

The embroidery side of the F580 is where many customers fall in love with the machine.

With 193 built-in embroidery designs and a generous embroidery area, you can personalise clothing, gifts, home décor and business products with ease.

The colour touchscreen allows you to:

• Edit designs
• Resize designs
• Rotate designs
• Combine multiple designs
• Adjust thread colours
• Preview embroidery layouts before stitching

This level of control helps reduce mistakes and saves valuable time.

Can I Use My Own Embroidery Designs?

Yes.

The Brother Innov-is F580 allows you to import your own embroidery designs using a USB stick.

This gives you access to:

• Purchased embroidery designs
• Digitised logos
• Personalised monograms
• Custom-created artwork

For many customers, this flexibility is one of the machine’s biggest advantages.

Wireless Connectivity and Artspira

The Brother Innov-is F580 features wireless connectivity, allowing you to transfer embroidery designs from Brother’s Artspira app directly to your machine.

Artspira provides:

• Additional embroidery designs
• Design editing tools
• Drawing features
• Project inspiration
• Wireless design transfer

This makes it easier than ever to create personalised embroidery projects without constantly moving files between devices.

Is the Brother Innov-is F580 Suitable for Beginners?

Although the F580 is a highly capable machine, Brother has designed it to be remarkably user-friendly.

Features beginners appreciate include:

• Advanced needle threader
• Drop-in bobbin system
• Touchscreen controls
• On-screen guidance
• Automatic thread cutting
• Built-in tutorials

A complete beginner may not immediately use every feature available, but the machine offers plenty of room to grow as skills develop.

Is the Brother Innov-is F580 Suitable for a Small Embroidery Business?

For many home-based embroidery businesses, the answer is yes.

The F580 is particularly well suited to:

• Personalised baby gifts
• School uniform embroidery
• Custom clothing
• Monogramming
• Small batch production
• Craft fair products
• Etsy businesses

While dedicated commercial embroidery machines are better suited to large-scale production, the F580 is an excellent starting point for many small businesses.

Brother Innov-is F580 vs Brother Innov-is F560

Customers often ask about the difference between the F560 and the F580.

The biggest difference is simple:

• The F560 is a sewing machine.
• The F580 is both a sewing machine and an embroidery machine.

If you only plan to sew, the F560 may be sufficient.

If you want to add embroidery now or in the future, the F580 offers significantly more creative possibilities.

What’s Included in the Box?

The Brother Innov-is F580 comes with a comprehensive range of accessories, including:

Feet Included

• Zigzag foot
• Walking foot
• Overcasting foot
• Monogramming foot
• Zipper foot
• Blind hem foot
• Button fitting foot
• Buttonhole foot
• Embroidery foot

Accessories Included

• Bobbins
• Needles
• Seam ripper
• Cleaning brush
• Screwdrivers
• Spool caps
• Embroidery accessories
• Instruction manuals

Hoops Included

The machine includes the embroidery hoop required to begin embroidering straight away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Brother F580 switch between sewing and embroidery?

The embroidery unit simply attaches to the machine when required. The machine automatically detects embroidery mode and displays the appropriate functions.

Can I use my own embroidery designs?

Yes. Designs can be imported via USB and transferred wirelessly using Artspira.

What is the Square Feed Drive System?

The Square Feed Drive System moves fabrics more consistently than traditional feeding systems, helping improve stitch quality on difficult materials.

Is the walking foot included?

Yes. The walking foot is supplied with the machine.

Can I quilt with the Brother F580?

Yes. The machine is extremely popular with quilters thanks to its walking foot, feed system and decorative stitch options.

Does the machine require a computer?

No. The machine can be used independently, although many users choose to transfer designs via USB or Artspira.

Is the Brother Innov-is F580 worth the money?

In my opinion, yes. If you’re looking for a machine that combines excellent sewing performance with embroidery capabilities, the F580 offers exceptional value and gives you room to grow into both crafts.

Why Buy Your Brother Innov-is F580 from Sewing Direct?

When you buy from Sewing Direct, you’re not simply buying a machine.

You’re buying from a family-run sewing machine specialist that sells, demonstrates, services and repairs the machines we stock.

Benefits include:

• Expert advice before purchase
• Demonstrations available
• Ongoing support after purchase
• In-house servicing and repairs
• Genuine accessories and spare parts
• Finance options available
• UK warranty support

If you’re unsure whether the Brother Innov-is F580 is the right machine for you, get in touch and we’ll happily discuss your sewing goals and help you make the right choice.