6 as shown in fig2 the left weft needle 2 a runs empty into the shed the weft thread 4 a being guided in the guide slot 20 a when the weft thread loop 22 b has been inserted completely into the shed as is evident from fig3 the left knitting needle 28 a grasps the auxiliary thread 24 a and draws the latter through the inserted weft thread loop 22 b and further on through the last loop 30 a of the auxiliary thread 24 a on the right side the auxiliary thread 24 b is interlaced with itself that is to say with its last loop 30 b without being drawn through a weft thread loop after this securing of the inserted weft thread loop 22 b by means of the auxiliary thread 24 a the weft needles 2 a 2 b leave the shed and the reed 11 beats up the weft thread loop thus inserted at the beating up edge 10 the thread lifter 18 b is then raised again and prevents an engagement of the weft thread 4 b on the fork 16 b of the weft needle 2 b instead by means of the thread lifter 18 a the weft thread 4 a is brought into engagement on the fork 16 a of the weft needle 2 a in order during the next shed opening to insert a further weft thread loop 22 a from the left ribbon side in a similar way fig5 to 7 show a needle ribbon weaving machine which is constructed similarly to the needle ribbon weaving machine of fig1 to 4 and therefore parts identical to.