Abstract: Sewing machine needle positioning devices to position a sewing machine needle to selected location with respect to a work surface where the sewing machine includes a rotatable drive shaft to drive the needle and stitching mechanism. A clutch wheel is attached to the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft when the clutch is rotated in a first direction. A cam is located on a drive shaft extension to engage a cooperative pressure plate carried by a gear rack assembly which is moved bidirectionally along a selected axis to engage a gear carried by the clutch to rotate the shaft in the first direction where the gear rack moves in one linear direction until the cam engages the pressure plate to stop the machine when the clutch has rotated it in the first direction to a selected position where the needle is in selected location with respect to the work surface.