Friday 21 September 2012

iPad as a knitting tool

Last Sunday I shared about using an app called "Errands" on my iPad to help me get organised. The post generated more than the usual number of hits on my blog for an individual post and a wide range of responses from those who left comments. 

Thank you to those who were concerned that I would become too "addicted" (my word not theirs) to my iPad and related technology. The truth is that it is very easy for me to spend several hours on the computer or iPad -- I just love the things I can do on both. 

But it is also true that since I found the app and loaded my projects into it, I have been on track with all the things I wanted to do and have even managed to finish some ahead of schedule. Now I just turn on my Ipad, touch the app and voila! I know exactly what I should be concentrating on today. The app may not be necessary or even useful to others but it sure works for me and I have felt a great sense of accomplishment in the last week.

So today, I want to share another free app which I have found useful in my knitting. This one is the "lite" version but it does what I need it to do so i don't feel any need to buy the "full" version.

Therefore, fellow knitters, may I present to you Knit Counter Lite? (It’s actually an iPhone app but works just the same on iPad).
2012 knit counter lite
This is what it looks like on my iPad right now.
2012 counter intarsia blanket
The row counter tells me I have done 104 rows since I last showed you a photo of the Intarsia Blanket in progress and that I have done a total of 514 of the 700 rows needed to complete the project. When I hit the top plus sign (to go to 105 rows), the bottom one is connected so that it turns at the same rate. I programmed it to do that – making such “modifications” is very easy using the edit button (top right of screen).. 

There are other functions built in too but I have no need of them at the moment so have not fully investigated them.

The app writers say that the full version is needed to keep track of different projects. If the projects were complicated I suppose that would be so but I have used this counter to count rows on other projects without losing track of my intarsia blanket. 

Say, for example, I was knitting a sock and wanted to know how many rounds I had completed from the cuff to the heel (so that the second sock would be the same). I would just add another row to this counter, like this:
2012 coutner additional project
This shows that I have so far completed 43 rounds of the sock -- notice that it has not affected the row count for my intarsia blanket at all! 

This app has been on my iPad for some time and takes no time at all to use – it took much more time to take photos and write the post!

So there you have it friends - the iPad is not just a toy, it's a very useful tool!














10 comments:

  1. It is so fun to find new apps. There are so many fun and free choices that it can get a little overwhelming. The right ones though, can be so useful and handy that it is well worth taking time to sort through and find the ones that work for us. Glad you are enjoying your i-pad.

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  2. I really love my DiPad and its apps, and can completely understand how you can lose all sense of time while playing ... err, working on it. I use ToDo as my organiser, just because my son said I needed it (boy do I need it!), but your organiser app sounds very similar. Oh, don't we love our toys? LOL

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  3. I am keeping this info in my mind-I am going to get a smart phone next year so just keep paving the way for me! I am glad it is helping you to stay focused. Enjoy!

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  4. I started reading this post and got a huge surprise - my partner wrote Knit Counter Lite! I'm glad you find it useful :)

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  5. So organised! I really admire the spirit of adventure you're bringing to your use of these wonderful new tools.

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  6. Oh that sounds good, I've enjoyed using the pattern reader app I found, can see how helpful this could be

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  7. I haven't been able to comment lately on your blog because it hasn't shown up properly on my iPad - but I have just upgraded the Operating System, and et voila! I can now comment again!

    I faithfully count my rows - on regular row counters - but since the iPad is sitting next to me most of the time when I am knitting, I should give it a try.

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  8. the ipad uses just keep on coming in a convenient mobile package :-)
    the new layout etc is easy yot navigate and looks great WM

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  9. Bet that would work for counted cross stitch too. It's great to see how technology can be used to "help" with the hobby part of our lives. I'd be lost without all my spreadsheets and project sheets I keep in the lap top.

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