Abstract: A toy embroidery apparatus has a needle mounted movement reciprocally within the housing. An arm is pivotally mounted on the housing for movement between an operational position and a standby position. When the arm is in the operational position, a tubular shroud encloses a tip of the needle as it reciprocates and prevents the arm from pivoting until the tip of the needle is fully retracted within the housing. A drive effects reciprocating movement of a tip of the needle in and out of the housing. A switch selectively energizes the drive. The switch is rotatable between a locked condition wherein the arm is locked in the operational position and the drive is selectively energizable and an unlocked condition wherein the arm is pivotable.