Abstract: The present invention relates to a needle selecting method and needle selecting apparatus in a flat knitting machine. For electrically selecting the three needle positions, that is, the knit, tuck and welt positions, by using an electromagnet, needle selecting members are arranged on both the sides of one lock mounted on a carriage. Preliminary selection of needles is carried out by the needle selecting member located on the rear side of the direction of advance of the carriage to divide the needles into two groups, and at the time of reversion of the moving direction of the carriage, needles of one group of said two preliminarily selected groups are selected and divided into another two groups by the needle selecting member, whereby the above-mentioned three positions are selected for the needles.