A knitting machine comprising a needle bed and a plurality of grooves in the needle bed for receiving knitting needles with a hooked knitting needle positioned in each of the grooves. Each of the knitting needles has an associated plate guided in the same groove. The plate includes a longitudinally extended finger directed toward the hook of the needle. The needle includes a shank portion having a recess therein below the hook of the needle for receiving the finger of the plate with the plate being moveable longitudinally and transversely with respect to the needle for widening a stitch formed therearound.