piece of fabric 9 is being sewn by means of the sewing machine 2 the cylinder 14 keeps the pressure plate 12 in a raised position with respect to the work bed plate 1 the cylinders 20 and 24 keep the pins 18 and 22 beneath the work bed plate 1 such that the piece of fabric 9 is free to leave the machine 2 so as to be disposed between the plate and pressure element 12 45 and the pins 18 and 22 at this point a manual or automatic control means causes the cylinder 14 to lower the pressure plate 12 such that the pin 42 penetrates the fabric 9 and the slit 44 the cylinder 20 is then actuated and it raises the pin 18 which passing through the slit 43 penetrates the fabric 9 and passes into the opening 15 in the pressure plate 12 above the fabric the pressure plate 12 is designed to prevent the fabric from being raised when the pin is raised and thus to facilitate the penetration thereof in the fabric 9 the displacement of the cross piece 25 and therefore of the pin 18 is now begun by means of the cylinder 28 the displacement of the pin 18 in cooperation with the pin 42 produces the rotation of the fabric 9 about the pin 42 the retaining element 38 together with the first drawing element 17 thus constitutes the rotation means for the fabric.