A front operation panel is provided on a housing of an electrically controlled sewing machine, which provides a pattern list indicating a plurality of stitch patterns in a specific pattern group. One of the stitch patterns may be selected in direct reference to the pattern indication and the selected one is represented in a display section in the operational panel. The operational panel comprises a display board having the pattern list and the display section and a transparent cover superposed on the display board which includes a plurality of pressure-sensitive elements to be selectively depressed to designate the pattern indication in the pattern list. The display board may be switched to another information menu which is applicable to input operation of an original stitch pattern by successively inputting needle dropping points which should be enough to define a configuration of the original stitch pattern. The original stitch pattern thus registered may be included in the pattern list, which will now become selectable by depression of the corresponding elements in the transparent cover.