To facilitate a work such as a bobbin exchange near a thread trap case by allowing a picker to move to another stop position further apart from the thread trap case than a waiting position proximate to the thread trap case.

The sewing machine is provided with the picker 60 able to retain a needle thread extending from an eye hole of a sewing needle near the thread trap case 32 under a needle plate 36 and a picker driving motor 63 for driving the picker 60 across a distance between a needle thread retaining position able to retain the needle thread and the waiting position further apart from the thread trap case 32 than the needle thread retaining position, wherein the picker 60 is able to move to a siding position further apart from the thread trap case 32 than the waiting position.