This invention relates to a stitch-bonding warp knitting machine and a process for operating it. The stitch-bonding warp knitting machine comprises a plurality of knitting needles that pierce a continuously conveyed band of material. The knitting needles are driven by two different reciprocating motions, one of which reciprocates the needles along their longitudinal axis and the other of which swivels said knitting needles about an axis. The invention also includes means for continuously conveying a band of material through a point in the path of said reciprocating knitting needles. The reciprocating action of the needles and the swivelling action about an axis remote from the point that said band of material passes is such that said knitting needles pierce said band of material and at the same time move in a transverse direction in the direction that said band of material is moving and at the same speed of movement all of the time that said needles are penetrating through said band of material. The knitting needles are then withdrawn from the band of material after having a warp yarn wrapped around the needles, thereby drawing loops of said warp yarn through said band of material and through previously formed loops of warp yarn. After the needles are withdrawn from the band of material, they are moved transversely in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said band of material in preparation for a new penetration remote from the point that first penetration took place.