is shown in fig1 as described above the present embodiment is designed to disable the soft brake from being operated if the position deviation from the stop position is within 2 degrees on the shaft of the motor 2 whereby the soft brake is not operated if the sewing machine 1 does not move accordingly the noise generated when the sewing machine 1 is not moving is eliminated and the sewing machine drive apparatus is quieter than the conventional machine it will be recognized that the present embodiment will not operate the soft brake if the position deviation from the stop position is within 2 degrees on the shaft of the motor 2 but that other embodiments may be designed not to be operated if the position deviation from the stop position is within an optional angle also when the sewing machine 1 used can be positioned to a stop at its needle up or down position under the control of the signal from the needle position detector 6 as described previously the soft brake may be operated not according to the angle of the motor 2 or the sewing machine 1 but in relation to the signal from said needle position detector 6 e g when the up position signal or the down position signal is switched off switched off when the sewing machine is offset from the stop position in order to provide the same effects it will be apparent that.