at each stitch position in the same way the control circuit 44 sums up the stitch position data for the next succession of 100 stitches and moves the work holding device 8 to the stitch position which is located 100 stitches further ahead of the last position thus the same operation is repeated so that the work holding device 8 is intermittently moved over a distance corresponding to 100 stitches at one time when all of the stitch position data in the sewing instruction memory 46 have been read and executed and the work holding device 8 has been moved to the last stitch position the control circuit 44 will direct the device 8 to move back to the sewing start position and terminate the second test mode of operation in the event that the step switch 41 is turned off during the second test mode of operation the control circuit 44 will immediately change the operation from the second test mode to the first test mode at the end of the first or second test mode of operation the test switch 39 is turned off and the pedal is depressed to turn on the start switch 38 with the start switch turned on the control circuit 44 supplies drive control signals to the dc motor drive circuit 48 to start the dc drive motor 5 thereby initiating a sewing operation according to the stitch position data stored in the sewing instruction memory 46 in response to a detection signal produced from the needle position detector 6 when the needle 3 is lifted above the surface of the.