Abstract: An automatic needle selection mechanism for a knitting machine, comprising one electromagnet for each of needle selectors, and a movable mounting plate for the electromagnets, arranged facing a selector bed. Each mounting plate with the electromagnetic is brought adjacent to its corresponding selector when the selector is in its first position where it is engaged to the movement of the selector bed. The mounting plate is first approached to the selector bed, and then the electromagnet is selectively energized. Then, the mounting plate is moved away from the selector bed. The selector which corresponds to the electromagnet energized is moved from the first position to the second position where it is disengaged from the selector bed, subsequent movement of the selector bed in the longitudinal direction of the selector thereby actuating the selected one of the needles in order to form a desired knitting pattern.