A mechanism for a gripper axminster loom, the mechanism including a plurality of yarn carriers (12) each of which is movable to any one of a plurality of predetermined positions, each carrier (12) guiding a plurality of tuft yarn (15) and being arranged to present one of said yarns to a gripper (16) when the carrier (12) is located at a corresponding one of said predetermined positions, and a plurality of independently controllable rotary drive motors (6), each drive motor (6) being drivingly connected to an associated carrier (12) for selectively moving the associated carrier (12) to a selected one of said predetermined positions.