Continental M17

Janome is proud to introduce the Next Generation Combo machine. Combining the top features of our most decorated machines to maximize your creative potential. The largest sewing area in the industry matched the largest embroidery space. High-Definition Quilting, and the Fastest Sewing speeds, are just a few of the 100 reasons to love this new model. The 10" High-definition color touch screen, plus ergonomically located line of sight screen, make stitch changes and embroidery easy and enjoyable. Introducing new features such as the Thumbwheel function means you can delicately control the needle position to finish those intricate sewing projects.

Over 1,200 built-in embroidery designs and the largest embroidery hoop in the industry at 30" opens up a whole new world of design capabilities. Five included embroidery hoops to use with built-in programs from monogramming to sashiko and everything in between. Janome original features such as AcuFeed, QuiltBlockAdvisor, and Artistic Digitizer are included. Let the Continental M17 take you to the highest level of your creative abilities.

— Continental M17 Resource Links —

Continental Academy - Comprehensive Instructional Videos

iF Design Award

For nearly 70 years, the iF Design Award has been recognized as an arbiter of quality for exceptional design. The iF label is renowned worldwide for outstanding design services, and the iF Design Award is one of the most important design prizes in the world.

Janome is honored to announce that the Continental M17 was a winner of the 2023 iF Design Award, a world-renowned design prize. While retaining traditional Janome Standards of Quality, Reliability, and Ease of Use. Janome has now introduced the largest work and embroidery area in the industry, fastest sewing speeds, and large ergonomically located line of site screen. Industry-first features such as the thumbwheel to control needle drop position, and Hi-Definition Quilting are all beautifully finished by incorporating stylish color combinations and materials such as aluminum die-casting to achieve a bold and robust look.

The Continental M17 won for its Design Excellence, competing against thousands of other entries.

Click Here for more information about iF and the Continental M17’s design award!

IDEA (International Design Excellence Awards)

IDEA is a prestigious, long-standing design awards program that began with industrial design but now covers various fields across 20 categories. Supported by designers and leaders worldwide, it emphasizes innovation and excellence, evaluating entries based on innovation, benefits to users, clients, society, and aesthetics. The goal is to honor designs that provide real value to people and organizations, encouraging progressive and thoughtful design processes. The Continental M17 is a finalist for this prestigious award.

Click Here for more information about IDEA

HI-Definition Quilting

Introducing A.S.R. (Accurate Stitch Regulator) A Janome first! Our new stitch regulation system comes standard with the CM17 and includes four feet. AcuFeed Flex plus our layered Fabric Feeding System has long been legendary in the sewing and quilting world, so it is no surprise that it is also included in the CM17. Professional Grade Needle plate, HP foot, and HP2 foot for precise topstitching and incredible ease of control & visibility are also standard on the CM17. All of these accessories are easily utilized on the seamless, uninterrupted, all-metal flatbed with 13.5 inches to the right of the needle, 5.51" of height, and 3.15" of space above the needle plate.

A.S.R. (Accurate Stitch Regulator)

A Janome first! Our new stitch regulation system
comes standard with the CM17 and includes four feet;
closed-toe, open-toe, clear view, and the exclusive
Ruler Work foot so that all of your free-motion needs
are covered. With the added benefit of being able to
set the sensitivity of the sensor; you can adjust the
Regulation as your skills build.

Ruler Work Mode

Expand your quilting options and take advantage of the wide array of precision templates on the market for ruler-guided quilting. Engage the Ruler Work foot to safely follow along the guiding edge of precision cut templates. Achieve beautiful and consistent quilting results previously only available to longarm quilters.

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Professional Grade Needleplate, HP foot & HP2 foot

Utilize these narrow-gauge industrial-type feet for curves and precise topstitching. They provide excellent ease of control and superior visibility. They are sized perfectly for creating 1/4" seams, achieving accurate stitches, and perfect starts on any type of fabric.

AcuFeed Flex Plus

Our AcuFeed Layered Fabric Feeding System has long been legendary in the sewing and quilting world for its exceptional precision and power. We've taken it to the next level with AcuFeed Flex Plus. The system is still removable, but adding and removing it from the machine has become more advanced, adding another layer of reliability and control. After attaching the AcuFeed foot, touch the AcuFeed icon on your screen to engage or disengage the dedicated motor designed specifically for this feature!

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Ample Work area and Ergonomic Design

The seamless, heavy-duty powder-coated, all-metal flatbed offers an uninterrupted, large sewing area with 13.5 inches (343mm) to the right of the needle. With a 5.51 inch (140mm) workspace height and 3.15" of space above the needle plate, you'll complete any sewing project with ease.

HI-Definition Embroidery

Embroidery will never be the same with 1,230 built-in embroidery designs, including designer collections, our largest embroidery hoop ever at 11” x 18.1”, created with carbon fiber infused plastic for strength and durability. Wireless embroidery functionality is achieved through AcuAssist, and there is even a Screensaver app to personalize your machine. Features that you have come to know, such as the magnetic hoop, combined with new features, such as the easy tightening lever, are like having an extra hand to set your fabric and stabilizer. An embroidery positioning marker uses an LED light to show your needle position on the fabric below to see where your needle will strike before stitching begins. All this plus extra storage compartments conveniently located in the extension table arms to store all of your sewing and embroidery accessories.

More Built-in Embroidery!

1,230 built-in embroidery designs are standard, including Designer Collections, ten embroidery fonts, and In-the-Hoop projects that will keep you engaged and creative for hours. In addition, the included Embroidery Link app will allow you to customize and edit those same designs, adding and removing elements to create one-of-a-kind embroidery that your whole family will enjoy. With so many standard stitches and embroidery designs, your creativity is unlimited!

Extra-Large Embroidery Area

Our largest hoops and embroidery area ever! Our RE46d Hoop offers 11” x 18.1” of the embroidery area. Created with Carbon Fiber infused plastic, this large hoop is 10X stronger than metal! No other machine can offer such a large area and guarantee the stability and precision of Janome embroidery, even when embroidering at speeds up to 1200spm. Four included hoops have been created with a new easy-to-hoop lever system and hoop size detection. Bonus Quilt Kit consists of the AcuFil hoop, an excellent tool for quilting in the hoop.

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Wirelessly Interact With your Embroidery and Sewing Functions

Your options to learn about and use the CM17 are limitless. Use the interactive AcuAssist to become proficient with its intuitive and vast features. With Embroidery Link, you can resize, redesign, and layout embroidery without sitting at your machine. And, with AcuSetter, AcuSketch, and the ScreenSaverTool app, you can take the personalization of your machine and embroidery capabilities to the next level.

Quilting Hoop ASQ27d

The included quilting hoop is 10.6” x 10.6” (270mm x 270mm). It includes Janome’s original magnetic hoop without an internal frame, allowing more accurate alignment of quilt embroidery. Using the included Digitizer Jr computer software, you can create edge-to-edge quilting designs and take advantage of AcuFil quilting patterns.

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Easy Tightening Lever on Embroidery Hoops

If you found that you sometimes needed a third hand to tighten the screws on embroidery hoops, you’ll love the Easy Tightening Lever! Set your fabric and stabilizer, then flip the lever to lock it into place. One easy step to perfectly taught hooping.

Embroidery Positioning Marker

Using the newest embroidery foot from Janome, the LED pointer aligning feature can show the position of your needle on the fabric below. This feature lets you see exactly where your needle will strike before stitching begins for extreme precision. Perfect for designs that need to be placed in precisely the correct position. Use the LED pointer with the baste function to ensure your design is exactly where you want it to be.

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Storage Compartments in Extension Tables

Hidden in the extension table arms on the embroidery bed are convenient storage bins. Perfect for storing needle plates, threads, bobbins, or anything else you’d like to have handy while sewing.

HI-Definition Sewing

The Continental M17 combines great convenience features you have come to expect from a Janome machine but also a few industry firsts. The newest feature is the Thumbwheel located to the right of the needle, this allows you to raise or lower the needle without reaching for the handwheel. Boasting 850 built-in stitches including 13 different style buttonholes, plus 3 fonts, give you an incredible amount of options. 9mm zig zag means you have extra stitch width, combined with 91 different needle positions for bolder, more distinctive, and fine-tuned designs. The variable zig-zag provides precise control over stitch width via the knee lifter. The floating mode function will conveniently adjust the pressure to the presser foot while feeding fabric to protect delicate or high pile fabrics like velvet. Other features such as the metal cloth guide which provides a solid guide to achieve perfect hems, and the Automatic Built-in Needle threader are two more extremely useful standard features to allow you to achieve Hi-Definition Sewing.

Thumb Wheel

Located to the right of the needle. This industry-first is a great convenience feature that lets you raise or lower the needle without having to reach over to the handwheel.

More Stitches!

The Continental M17 includes an amazing array of built-in stitches and embroidery designs. You'll find 850 built-in stitches, including 13 different styles of buttonholes (and with Stitch Composer your stitch count is infinite). Three fonts provide variety for decorative stitch monogramming.

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9mm Zig Zag

That's right - you can create 9mm wide stitches on the Continental M17! The extra width makes all of your decorative or alphabet stitches bolder, brighter, and more distinct. Wider, more distinct stitches allow you to fill more area with stitching, quicker - saving you valuable time while sewing.

91 Needle Positions

The Continental M17 offers an unbelievable 91 needle positions. This allows for more detail in decorative stitches, and incredible fine adjustments in all stitch creations. And with the 9mm stitch width, this sort of bold detail can be easily appreciated.

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Floating Mode

While in floating mode, the Continental M17 will not extend full pressure to the presser foot while feeding fabric. This will protect delicate or high pile fabrics like velvet.

Metal Cloth Guide

The Metal Cloth Guide is a standard accessory on this machine that attaches to the bobbin cover and extends the entire length of the sewing machine bed to the right. Use this guide to make perfectly even wide hems.

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Variable Zig Zag

Advanced Tools give advanced abilities for creative expression. The Continental M17 includes an excellent tool for creativity: Variable Zig Zag. This feature enables precision control over the stitch width via the knee lift. Thread painters will rejoice at the ease of control of the stitch width. Begin with a straight stitch; then, press against the knee lifter to widen your stitch to a 9mm zig-zag while the machine is still running. Release pressure to return to a straight stitch for a tapered finish gradually. Don’t want a 9mm stitch? You can easily control the maximum width of the stitch setting in the machine set mode. This advanced control opens incredible new possibilities for creative expression with free motion quilting, thread painting, raw edge applique, free-motion monogramming, and more.

Automatic Built-in Needle Threader

Threading couldn't be easier! Load your thread into the easily viewable guides, push the threader button, release it, and your needle is threaded. This time-saving feature allows you to get sewing faster. Its advanced design feeds the thread through the eye of the needle with precise accuracy every time.

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Mirage Stitches

Use Mirage Stitches to add an interesting design element to your project. These unique stitches offer a satin look in a variety of shapes with spaces between each motif, making the stitches appear to float on the fabric! Janome Mirage Stitches are infinitely customizable with separate tension and stitch length settings for both the hidden connecting jump stitches and the main satin stitch. This effect can be used on either one or two pieces of fabric.

Technology & Engineering

The Continental M17 is packed with advanced features and industry firsts to create the ultimate sewing/embroidery experience, from the Easy Open Top Cover with Magnetic Storage to the Two Advanced LED Touchscreens. SFS-I Intelligent Feed system, Optical Bobbin Sensor, and PC Software, including StitchComposer and AcuStitch! Check out all the design and development that has gone into this machine.

Two Advanced LCD Touchscreens

Edit, design and create on the large, 5.3" x 8.5" LCD touchscreen, showing you the results in amazing clarity. Then when you're ready to sew or embroider, the second screen, an industry first, will allow you to fine-tune your stitches, tension, foot pressure, and more!

Easy Open Top Cover with Magnetic Storage

The top cover opens easily with the push of one button, revealing carefully thought-out storage and threading options. Three strong magnets across the top allow you to keep all of your tools handy and clean at all times. Store your favorite sewing feet in the designated cubbies. The thread path is clearly marked and indicated to avoid errors in threading.

Retractable Spool Pins

The dual retractable spool pins are perfect for large king cone thread spools and easily fold down when not in use. Just use the lever to raise them.

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Independent Bobbin Winding Motor

Never run out of full bobbins! With an independent bobbin motor, there is no need to stop your sewing or embroidery. Set up your bobbin, push the Bobbin Winding button, and keep stitching while the machine simultaneously winds your bobbin. It’s the perfect sewing multi-tasker.

Optical Bobbin Sensor

Our advanced Optical Bobbin Monitoring System is for everyone who has sewn a long seam, only to find that your bobbin thread ran out after the first few inches. Janome Technology allows the M17 to constantly watch your bobbin thread supply while sewing so that you will receive a warning as soon as the bobbin thread gets low, not when it’s too late at the end of your seam. When embroidering or sewing large projects, it is sometimes difficult to track how much bobbin thread is left. The bobbin thread sensor alerts you when your bobbin thread is running low, so you're never caught in the middle of a seam or embroider color.

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PC Software: StitchComposer (included) AcuStitch (optional)

The unique StichComposer Program (included) allows you to create and edit stitches from your computer. Although the CM17 has over 850 built-in stitches, you can create your own from scratch for a truly customized experience! AcuStitch (optional) is truly addicting! Use the CM17's built-in decorative stitches to create various shapes and motifs. Once your layout is finished, it becomes an embroidery design.

Pre-Set Sewing with Sewing Applications

The expanded Sewing Applications feature gives you guidance for perfecting a variety of sewing tasks, including those that use optional accessories. If you love to quilt, then you will adore the Memorized Quilt Seaming; the machine remembers the length of your seam, so you can cruise through stitching a large number of the same size blocks. And, if you're ready to take your quilting to the next level, the Ruler Work Mode will automatically set you up to start quilting beautiful designs on your quilts.

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Improved Ergonomic Knee Lifter

The knee lift has been designed to make it ergonomic and adjustable to accommodate almost any size or height sewists. You can now sit directly in front of the needle with the knee lift perfectly positioned for free-motion quilting, variable zig-zag, or general sewing. It can be inserted directly into the machine base or the embroidery unit if using it as an expanded sewing machine table.

Foot Control and Thread Cutter Switch

When sewing, the Continental M17 features an extra-large foot control for more excellent stability and surface area. The Thread Cutter Pedal is also included, which allows you to snip your threads with your foot, so you don’t have to remove your hands from your fabric. Both can be mounted on the included plate for easy access.

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Computerized One Touch Needle Plate Converter

Using the right tools at the right time is essential in sewing. A straight stitch needle plate makes all the difference when using lightweight fabrics or piecing quilts. Our Computerized One Touch Plate Converter allows you to easily switch and use the perfect plate for your sewing project. Push the on-screen button to release the plate and place a new one in place. The M17 comes with three standard needle plates: zigzag, straight stitch, and HP.

Seeing is Believing!

The CM17 features nine ultra-bright LED lights in four locations to illuminate the bed of the machine providing a dazzling work area. For even more focus, the machine includes three special magnifying glasses at three levels of magnification that attach directly to the faceplate: Slide into place for extra visibility and store it out of your way when not in use. This system reduces eye strain and allows you to sew for hours in comfort!

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Other notable features include:

Automatic Thread Cutter – The thread is cut at the push of a button, and the button is located right at your fingertips.

Automatic Built-in Needle Threader – Threading couldn’t be easier! This time-saving feature allows you to get sewing faster.

Automatic Presser Foot Pressure – A fabric sensor automatically detects the thickness of the fabric and adjusts the downward pressure placed on the fabric accordingly. This setting can also be changed manually in the setting mode.

Auto Presser Foot Lift – The auto presser foot lift automatically lifts the presser foot after a thread cut when the thread snip button is pressed or after a programmed thread cut at the end of a row of decorative stitches.

Easy Reverse Button - Reverse button allows you to easily backstitch for locking seams or sew in reverse and is conveniently located.

Locking Stitch Button – ties off the end of the thread, no need to backstitch to lock a seam.

Telescopic Thread Guides – no need to purchase additional vertical thread guides for your bigger spools of thread.

Auto Needle Down – The needle stops in the down position for easy pivoting on corners and for seamless free motion embroidery. Press to raise the needle to the up position for easy fabric removal.

Speed Control Slider – This slider lets you set the machine’s top speed—lower speeds for more intricate work and high speeds for long straight seams. A popular feature for beginners never sews faster than your comfort zone. It can be set as high as 1,300 spm or as low as 60 spm.