Abstract: A pile fabric knitting apparatus has controllable means, several representative embodiments of which are disclosed, separate from fiber supply means and responsive to dynamic control means, i.e., transducer, control tape, etc., functioning during operation of the apparatus, for regulating the quantity of pile fibers transferred to or retained by the reciprocating knitting needles from respective fiber zones provided by pile fiber feeding means to which the fibers are delivered by the supply means. Such controllable means may operate in addition to or alternatively to fiber supply control at the supply means. In a preferred form the needles comprise companion relatively slidably operative needle elements, one of which elements is adapted to transfer more fiber than the other of said elements, and the controllable means are operative to select the elements for picking up fiber in any of the respective fiber zones.