PURPOSE: To precisely detect information of positions of stiches, by providing a parallel band for expansion of a knitted work and positioning thereof and a holding band for keeping the positioned stitches, in a stitching device of an automatic knitter.

CONSTITUTION: This stitch positioner having a lifting device is provided with a parallel band 1 which expands a knitted work by widening the width from the contact condition of the stitches and moves in a plane while keeping the knitted work in an expanded condition. And also it is provided with a pressing band plate 2 parallelly supported in order to hold the upper part of the thread of stitches 4 after the stitch to be knitted is positioned at the needling point by the parallel band 1. For this work, the knitted article is expanded and retained at first by the parallel band 1 under the condition including the stitch 5 intended to position and the image thereof is obtained. After the position information of the stitch 5 is calculated, the stitch 5 is positioned at the needling point. And then the parallel band 1 is moved up and the positioned stitch 4 is kept by the pressing band plate 2 before it is returned downward.