of the loop taker 12 proceeds in a clockwise direction the needle thread 84 is shown in fig5 just before it is cast off by the loop taker 12 which occurs when the loop formed in the needle thread 84 by the loop taker 12 passing therethrough is at its largest diameter the thread catcher 38 which projects outwardly from the face of the thread handling member 34 engages the needle and bobbin threads by being driven counterclockwise which is illustrated in fig5 and 6 as toward the left by the driving member 28 and by further rotation of the thread handling member 34 sweeps them to the notch formed between the intersection of the thread cutting finger 40 and the thread handling member 34 where they are fixedly restrained the thread handling member 34 rotates in a direction which causes the thread cutting finger 40 and the restrained threads to move toward the knife surface 48 disposed on the thread cutting knife 42 fig6 shows the thread handling member 34 rotatably displaced from the position shown in fig5 the bobbin thread 86 is shown fixedly held by the notched finger 50 and the thread cutting finger 40 the needle thread 84 and the bobbin thread 86 are restrained in the notch formed between the thread cutting finger 40 and the thread handling member 34 while they are drawn beneath the knife surface 48 by the rotation of the thread handling member 34 the knife surface 48 is spaced in covering relation to the circumference of the thread handling member 34 and is so disposed to be capable.