Abstract: A yarn saving apparatus for conventional tufting machines which includes means for sensing the lateral movement of a needle bar or other laterally shiftable patterning device, and means responsive to the lateral movement of the needlebar or other lateral shifting device for slowing the speed at which yarn is fed to the outermost groups of needles of the needle bar, thereby withdrawing yarn from loops formed thereby, so as to prevent wastage of the yarn which would otherwise be tufted into a wastage area at the outer longitudinal border of the carpet backing. Yarn is provided to the groups of tufting needles at the normal rate when the tufting needles are positioned over an area which is to be tufted, and yarn is provided to the groups of tufting needles at a slower rate which effectively withdraws yarn from loops in the wastage area when the groups of needles are positioned over the wastage area.