is facing away from the filling thread layering member 14 in order to avoid piercing the capillaries of the pile threads the junction between the thread neck 10 and the directly adjacent recess of the thread selecting sinker 9 which contains the diverting edge 11a is made round likewise the junction between said recess and the edge 12a is also rounded and edge 12a is reduced in size i e shortened at the start of the work cycle the lower end of the thread selecting sinker 9 with the thread neck 10 may be located above the thread emerging opening of the desired patterning pile thread for example thread emerging opening 7a whereby the pile thread guide is in its raised position the guide bar 8 sinks downward and the thread selecting sinker 9 grasps with its thread neck 10 the pile thread which in this instant comes from the thread emerging opening 7a and presses the same on the shaft of the appropriate needle 1 during the return of the needle 1 this pile thread is then formed into a loop while the pile threads which stem from the thread emerging openings 7b and 7c are not looped as they have not been pressed on the shaft of the needle if the pile thread coming from thread emerging openings 7b is to be looped then the thread selecting sinker 9 stands with its neck 10 above the thread emerging opening 7b and presses the appropriate pile thread.