Feature suggestions for KnitMinder
Hi,
I'm finding KnitMinder really handy for keeping track of things, thanks for the app.
Here are a couple of suggestions:
It would nice to be able to mark the status of projects - planned, in progress or complete.
I bought a batch of crochet hooks and some of them are very tiny - 0.50mm, 0.60mm, 0.65mm, 0.70mm, 0.80mm, 0.90mm, 1.00mm, 1.10mm, 1.25mm, 1.30mm, 1.40mm, 1.50mm,1.60mm,1.75mm,1.90mm, 2.10mm - but the sizes can't all be entered. Perhaps you could allow the list of sizes to be edited?
Hi, I'm a new KnitMinder user and am loving it. I entered all my projects, yarn, and needles and came up with two suggestions for future releases.
1. There is no sizing for steel crochet hooks (sizes 0 through 14)
2. Here's the "biggie": I just finished a project and my needles are still associated with the project. I don't want to delete the needles from the project as I want to remember I used size 2 needles. But I do want to remove the project association icon from the needles so I know that those needles are available for use. Make sense? It would be great if this happened automagically when changing project status to "finished" although I think a manual option might still be needed as I might want to put a project on stitch holders to "steal" the needles for something else.
Thank you for a great app!
Thanks for the suggestions for KnitMinder! I've added a task to the Issue Tracker to get the sizing for steel crochet hooks into the application (http://www.quilt2go.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=108). The problem with needles and yarns still being associated with the project after it is completed had already been reported, and I've added your comments to the issue (http://www.quilt2go.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=97). At the moment, the only way to "free up" the needles from a completed project is to remove them from the project, but then you lose the record of which needles you used. I like the idea of being able to mark a project as on stitch holders, though, so I'll have to think of a way to represent that work process in the application.
Thanks again!
Well first off let me say, I just got a new iPod Touch about a week ago...it's my first touch! I've been rocking the nano for 2 years! First thing I did was start downloading cool apps! I think a knitting one would be useful for me especially since I tried to buy a row counter and couldn't find one. Boo! I instantly though, "There's an app for that." and sure enough...I found several. I'm intrigued with KnitMinder and Knit Buddy, however, there isn't really a way to compare, so what I'll say is this, I think I like this one better and I like the comparisons you do. I like that people say you respond quickly to problems and you seem to want to keep up with the other app so as long as you PROMISE to keep up with that one and make yours better always, I'll download yours over theirs!
Now, for my suggestion and I'm surprised that it's not here! With the evergrowing popularity of the knitting looms, like Knifty Knitter, I'm surprised to see you don't have a spot to mark which looms one owns! That would be a great addition I'd like to see as I have the Knifty Knitters, both long and round, but I'd also like to keep track if I need a different one for a differe project, perhaps add the Knifty Knitter or just looms in general and someway to keep track of which one someone has! Something to think about! Now, assuming you'll always make yours better than Knit Buddy...I'm off to download KnitMinder!!!!!
Thanks for writing! As you've found, there are quite a few good applications for knitters in the App Store, including project management apps (KnitBuddy, KnitMinder, and Ewe Stash), row counters (StitchMinder, Knit Counter, and Knit Row Counter), and other great utilities (iKnit Needle Sizer, Knitting Yarn Calculator). Most of these apps come up when you click search for "knit":
http://ax.search.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSearch.woa/wa/search?enti...
Customer support is a very high priority with me. I write iPhone apps "on the side", but I try to treat my customers the same as I would if this were a full time job for me. I definitely listen when I receive suggestions. In fact, almost all of the features in the latest release of KnitMinder were suggested by knitters.
I like your suggestion for a way to track looms like the Knifty Knitter. I've added this as a feature request in the Issue Tracker, which is the online tool I use to make sure bugs are fixed and requested features are added to the program. You can take a look at the issue tracker if you're interested by clicking on the link at the top of the page. My initial thought with regard to knitting looms is to treat them as a new type of needle, much like the program supports modular needles and tips (e.g. Denise and KnitPicks). What do you think?
p.
Hi Paul,
I have to say that I love your product. I've only used it a little bit. And I have to say, there is one thing that I'm looking for in an app that noone seems to have...
I have an hour train ride every morning and every night from work and I find it very annoying to have to carry my patterns along with me and remember which row I'm currently working on. I'd love a way to record my pattern into my ipod and then when I increase a row in the app have it display the pattern of the row I'm on. It helps that I can display the pattern row so I can easily find it if I loose my place, but having a quick view of what I'm doing would be great.
Thanks!
I've had a similar request from another knitter that has been added to the issue tracker, where I log all bugs and feature requests:
http://www.quilt2go.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=80
I have a couple of ideas for this feature, but it may be a little while before I get to them In the meantime, I'm working on a way to link patterns with one of the online document systems, probably Evernote or something similar. You won't be able to track the pattern by row, but at least you would be able to access your patterns that are in PDF format from within KnitMinder.
Thanks for the great suggestion!
I just downloaded the app today and am really looking forward to using it quite a bit. I was disappointed to see that a key feature was not included - yardage.
Under yarn - the dyelot is only important when you are looking to acquire more yarn. When you are matching yarn to a pattern, yardage, weight and gauge are your key requirements. If the notes were visible from the category pages, this would solve the problem.
Under Patterns - again, if Notes were visible from the main page, it would be useful. However, as is the Yarn Category, yardage is very important, as are gauge and weight. Size would be the next item worth recording. Example: I have a Cable Sweater Pattern. Under the listings, I see the name of the pattern, the type of article and the source. Size, such as M-XL for a man's extra large sweater would be great. Knowing that the pattern calls for an aran weight with S X R gauge and 2400 yards would be ideal. But without at least yardage, it's not that helpful.
That's just my initial comments having only used it for 15 minutes! As a life-long knitter, any time I can use technology to assist in planning projects is welcomed. I look forward to your next release.
Thanks for the great feedback on KnitMinder! A number of knitters have suggested that I add fields for storing information about the number of skeins, grams per skein, and length per skein, and there has been a feature request for this in the issue tracker since July. Yarn inventory is what I consider to be one of the weakest areas of the program right now. Ever since the program was released, I've been pondering how to implement an accurate yet simple yarn inventory. I want yarn inventory to "just work", which to me means that you only have to enter the amounts of yarn once and KnitMinder takes care of subtracting what you use as you complete projects. Of course, there are a lot of complications involved in figuring out how much yarn was used for a particular project -- gauge and size are the most obvious variables that need to be taken into account.
I think I'm letting my ambitions run a little ahead of what can actually be done with this feature. It might be best to start with some of the yarn inventory features as you describe that are updated by hand and work up to a more integrated solution later.
Thanks for the tip about the Patterns page layout as well. I'm planning some screen layout changes for KnitMinder 2.0, so I can redo the pattern page to display the notes more prominently. I'll also add the yardage, gauge, and weight fields to the pattern.
Keep those comments and suggestions coming!
I love your application. Too much, I suppose, as I had to reset my iPhone from scratch to avoid reinstalling a corrupted file (not knitminder) that was turning my phone into a brick. So I didn't really have any choice. Files get corrupted, hardware gets problems - it's a reality.
But there was no way to preserve my knitminder information- not even in a form just to refer to such as a data file!
I, like lots of people, would really like to see some sort of backup. And obviously syncing with Ravelry would be wonderful. But until then, if there was just a way of emailing oneself the data, it would be such a help. (So in the future, I don't have to go all over the house finding needles, yarn, patterns, etc.)
Hi Mariana -
First of all, I'm sorry you lost your data, even if it wasn't KnitMinder's fault. I'm very aware of the fact that it is a pain to get everything entered into the program where you can use it. I know it doesn't help you now, but I have already started work on a backup/restore feature in the next version of KnitMinder. With this feature, you will be able to upload your KnitMinder database to a secure server, restore from your latest upload, and transfer data from KnitMinder Lite into the full version of KnitMinder. Eventually, I would like to provide ways of importing data into KnitMinder from external sources as well. I expect to have this ready for release in November.
I've talked to Casey at Ravelry about integrating with KnitMinder on several occasions, but at the times we spoke, he did not have enough time to create a way for external applications to access information on the Ravelry site. Recently, however, he has said that he is working with an iPhone developer (not me... :( ) to develop a Ravelry application for the iPhone. He has hinted that he may allow other applications to communicate with the web site, but it isn't clear when or how this would work. There are more details in the Ravelry forums here:
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/for-the-love-of-ravelry/601827
I can definitely see things from his perspective: opening up Ravelry to anyone who asks could be a headache because he would have to support several different developers. A single, official app written by someone he knows and trusts is much easier to keep under control. In any case, if he does open up the Ravelry database, I will be the first in line to get that working with KnitMinder.
p.
The truth is that I like the options in Knitminder better than Ravelry!
I think it would be very helpful if the counters were numbered. For example, I have 10 rows in one pattern repeat. It would be helpful if the label "Pattern Row" was "Pattern Row 1" and then "Pattern Row 2", etc.
I've had a feature request for custom counter names in for a while now, which would cover your suggestion, I think. Looks like it's time to bump up the priority of this feature!
I LOVE Knitminder.
My suggestions to make it perfect for me are:
1. Allow not only to that photo now or paste picture from photo in your phone. I've downloaded pictures of yarn that are more color true than what I can take of my yarn. That is true with patterns also.
2. In project and in Yarn section have a spot to state how much you need of a color (project) and how much you have (yarn) of each yarn. When at the yarn shop and you know you have a yarn at home that would work for a new project but not sure you have enough of it to finish the project.
Thanks for a wonderful product. I have been taking up iphones to my aunt for months and when I showed her Knitminder yesterday she said, "That's it, I need this!" (We are going in the next 2 weeks to buy her a iphone... 1st app to buy, Knitminder.)
Thanks for the kind words about KnitMinder!
1. I have a feature request for adding photos to yarns and patterns entered into the issue tracker, and it's on the roadmap for the next release. This feature will allow you to select a photo from your photo library or take a picture using the built-in camera if present.
2. I've added your comments about yarn requirements and inventory to the existing feature request in the issue tracker. At the moment, this feature isn't part of the next release, but I'll bump up the priority so it gets done sooner rather than later.
Remember that KnitMinder works on the iPod touch as well, so if your aunt isn't in the market for a new phone, she can get an iPod instead!
I think for the pattern page, it can be useful to have field for the weight of the yarn and the amount.
Frequently when I am in a yarn shop I asked myself which yarn I need for a specific project...
This is a great suggestion, and I've added it to the issue tracker. I'd probably want to support multiple yarns for patterns that call for knitting two or more strands together.
I'm probably just being lazy, but...
I'm knitting a triangular shawl, and each pattern row increases the total stitch count by 4. It would be great to be able to set up a counter that incremented by 4 automatically so that I could double check the stitches on the needles with what supposed to be there. I do have a counter set up for it now, but I'm always double checking to be sure that I've tapped it the right number of times.
(BTW: I've had my iTouch for less than a day, and I'm already in love with your product)
How do I back up knitminder? Is there a sofware for pc to organize crohet patterns, hooks, project, stash etc?
Thank you
Hey MD -
KnitMinder data is backed up when you sync your iPhone or iPod touch to your computer. If anything happens to your device, you can restore from your computer and all of your yarns, needles, patterns, and projects will be restored as well. In addition, I'm working on a online backup system where you can send your KnitMinder data to a server for safekeeping.
I don't have any plans right now for desktop software that integrates with KnitMinder. Because people work on both Macs and PCs, it would be hard for me to write and maintain a desktop version. On the other hand, I may be able to put together a web site where you can organize your KnitMinder data. I've added your request to the Issue Tracker here:
http://www.quilt2go.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=70
Thanks for the suggestion!
p.
It would be soooooo cool if it were synced with Ravelry!!!!!
Ravelry ID: RoHunDoc
Hi Karen! Thanks for the suggestions. Setting the project status is pretty easy, so I think I should be able to get that into a release soon. Several knitters have asked for custom needle sizes as well. This is a little more difficult to do, but I plan on offering that feature in a future release.
If you're interested in what features are being planned for the next release, you can click on the Issue Tracker tab at the top of this page and look at the Roadmap section. This will list all of the issues that I'm working on and whether they're implemented yet.
Thanks for using KnitMinder and for the great suggestions!
p.
Hi everyone :)
I've just bought KnitMinder, and it is indeed a treasure! Instead of being surrounded by all my notes, row-counters and bits and pieces (which I drop and lose constantly), I can have everything with me wherever I go. No longer will I be knitting in waiting rooms and worrying that I've gone past the point where the pattern changes, or trying to record row-counts by scribbling on my hand (then dropping either the pen or my knitting when I get up). My iPhone, and thus my KnitMinder, is always with me (like death and taxes, but much more fun :D ).
I do have some suggestions and questions. :)
1. Could the colours list please include a tick-box for "multicoloured" or just "multi"? There are some lovely multi yarns on the market (e.g. the self-fairisle sock yarns), and I'll get muddled if I can't note down that the yarn isn't just "blue" but in fact is a melange of blues from powder blue to navy. A tick-box would allow us to choose the main colour, then optionally tick the box if the yarn is multi, and not require extra colours-list items.
By the way, what does "colorway" mean? I live in Australia, and find some of your references a bit confusing. I'm using the "colorway" field to record the Colour (COL) number on the ball band (distinct from the dyelot: the manufacturer assigns each colour its own number).
2. Could we please have further preferences for location? For example,
(a) it would be great if Australian/NZ and UK users could have the numbers keyboard come up automatically when they choose "Dyelot". I notice in your example screen that the dyelot starts with a letter, but dyelots in Australia/NZ and UK are numbered only.
(b) It would also be great if we could see "tension" instead of "gauge".
(c) In the metric system, the length of knitting needles and crochet needles is in whole units, so it would be helpful if setting our country preference in KnitMinder also meant our needle lengths are shown in whole centimetres: "20cm" instead of "20.00 cm".
3. Would it be possible (and reasonable) to add some more types of material for needles (e.g. casein and bamboo)? Casein is a dairy byproduct: it makes beautiful needles (my personal favourite) which warm and develop as you use them. "Ivore" needles from Australia are made from casein, and I've noticed several other manufacturers worldwide. Bamboo needles are also very popular, and different in use from wooden needles. There's also a difference between the older type of plastic needles (which became sticky as you worked) and the newer type (Liteflex, Bone) which don't. "Pearl" is another kind: I haven't used them, so I don't know if they're a different material, or not.
4. I am also a bit daunted by the task of typing in all my similar yarns and needles. Would it be viable to Duplicate an item, so the user could just change the colour details for the yarn, or the size for the needles? I have a lot of the same kinds of yarn (e.g. 12 different colours of Heirloom 8-ply EasyCare), and the same kind of needles (e.g. 15 sizes of bamboo double-pointed needles of the same length), and it would help quite a bit to be able to duplicate entries and then edit the few changed details. Then buying another batch of Patonyle or Purla would simply mean duplicating a similar entry and changing the colour and dyelot. Most details would be the same, often even where you buy the yarn. Duplicating would also be useful for patterns, e.g. when you make the same pattern for different people, with yarn of a different colour (beanies, socks and mittens are frequent fliers in my craft bag).
I also support other ideas mentioned in this thread:
A. being able to choose a photo already on your iPhone, instead of taking one. Either I'm a lousy photographer, or taking a photo of a ball of yarn doesn't work too well: my pics are indistinct and often look like the ball of yarn has exploded and melted over the lens.
B. being able to mark a project as planned, in progress or complete. Possibly one could sort projects by status, so the ones currently in progress are at the top, and highlighted or emphasized in some way. (Finish This One !!!)
C. being able to mark quantities of yarn is also useful: in Patterns, how many balls you need/have, and in Yarn, how many balls you have and how long each ball of yarn is (e.g. 290m for a 50g ball). Similar yarns supposedly of the same weight and ply often have different yarn lengths, which can mess up your calculations when you're buying yarn for a pattern.
D. I like the idea of a central backup server: that way, if you were out and about and entered quite a bit of new info, you'd be able to back it up to the server, and not have to worry about losing it. This idea could be expanded to include posting one's craft status on a community page (or Twitter), or buying craft items.
E. could also combine D. with syncing to Ravelry. Great idea, RoHunDoc !
F. I, too, have a number of tiny knitting and crochet needles for lace work or dolls' clothes, so being able to specify custom needle sizes would be handy.
Whew! I didn't intend to write so much, and I certainly don't mean it to sound as though I'm dissatisfied. I love KnitMinder! :D I checked out every knitting app in the iTunes store, and bought KnitMinder. I'd previously bought KnitGauge and iKnit Needle Sizer, which are also handy, but of minor use compared to KnitMinder.
I hope you have enough time and resources to work on some of our suggestions. If it's a stretch, we could always pay a bit more. We're certainly getting a lot for our $6 [1]! ;)
Thankyou for your hard work on this Swiss Army Knife for knitters! :)
[1] In my iTunes, the price shows as $5.99: I don't know if that's USD or AUD.
Wow, Clytie, what a great set of suggestions! Thanks for taking the time to write up such a detailed post -- it really helps me understand how I can improve KnitMinder. I'm going to take each one in turn below...
1. My wife has already let me know that I need to support variegated or multicolored yarns (http://www.quilt2go.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=58). At the moment, I haven't figured out a clever way to incorporate that into the yarn list when you are sorting by color, but I like your idea of a checkbox that indicates a multicolored yarn. Another option would be to provide the ability to enter more than one color for a yarn, similar to the way you are able to enter more than one fiber for fiber blends.
"Colorway" is a free-form field that is intended to be used to store additional information about the color of the yarn that you normally wouldn't get from the selection of colors included in the app. For example, you might choose purple as the color and enter "Purple Heather" in the colorway field. Entering the COL field from the yarn label is a great way to use the colorway field.
2. Some location preferences are easier than others. Changing text like "gauge" to "tension" is relatively easy and doesn't impact the basic functionality of the application. Fixing the specific instance of needle length is not too much harder since it makes sense for all knitters who use metric units to see whole centimeters. Switching the default keyboard on the dye lot entry field to a numeric keyboard is an all-or-nothing change, however; it would be hard for me to do anything other than making it a preference in the Settings. I've added entries in the issue tracker for these suggestions.
3. I'm just finishing up the coding for version 1.4, and one of the changes is adding the following needle materials: birch, bamboo, aluminum, steel, nickel plated, and glass. I've added casein as you suggested; perhaps other knitters can weigh in on additional material types that would be helpful to have like pearl.
4. I'm constantly worried about the amount of typing that is required to get all of your stash into KnitMinder. Duplicating a yarn or needle would help tremendously, and I've already been asked to add this feature. I've appended your comments to the existing issue in the issue tracker and have scheduled it for the release following 1.4.
I think the case for duplicating patterns is a little less clear as a project can be used to cover the cases that you mention (making the same pattern for different people or using different yarns and needles for the same pattern). Each project brings together a pattern, yarns, and needles that were used to construct a specific item. In addition, you can use the project logbook to record any information specific to this construction. Let me know if you disagree, however -- I'm open to debate on this point! :)
A. Choosing a photo on the iPhone will be in 1.4. I still have a few bugs to work out with it, but I definitely will have it ready for the next release.
B. Project status (planned, WIP, complete) is done and working great. It will also be in 1.4.
C. You can see my earlier comment for why I haven't put yarn inventory information (quantities and lengths) into the app yet. I'm still thinking about how to make it a natural part of the application and workflow, so I don't even have a design for this feature at this time. It hasn't fallen off the map, so to speak, but it won't be ready for a bit.
D. The central backup server is also coming along, but I've decided to move it to the release following 1.4. There are a couple of more urgent bugs that need to be fixed soon, including the infamous disappearing project icon, so I want to get 1.4 out quickly, then work on the larger tasks in 1.5, including backup/restore. Just so you know, when you sync your iPhone or iPod touch with iTunes, a backup of the KnitMinder database is saved on your computer. If something happens to your phone, you can restore from iTunes and not lose your data.
E. Syncing to Ravelry has been the most frequently requested feature since I released KnitMinder. Casey has been discussing the possibility of opening up the Ravelry database to select developers or building a Ravelry iPhone app, but nothing is certain at this point. Keep an eye on the "For The Love Of Ravelry" forum on that site for the latest on this issue.
F. Custom needle sizes have been on the list for a while, but there is some internal rearrangement of the KnitMinder database that would be required to support this feature.
I'm working on KnitMinder as much as I can these days, but my day job has been keeping my very, very busy lately. I didn't get anything done on KnitMinder in July, but I'm hoping that August will be more productive. I'm always happy to hear that you think the program is worth more than I'm charging for it, because it means that I'm providing a good value for the money! The advantage of creating an app for the fun of it is that I can charge what I think it is worth and not worry about whether I'm making enough money. Oh, and the price for KnitMinder in the Australian store is in AU dollars, not US. The price in the US store is $4.99.
One last thing: if you're interested in which features are planned for upcoming versions of KnitMinder, click on the "Issue Tracker" tab at the top of the page and select "Roadmap". You'll see a list of issues that are planned for versions 1.4 and 1.5 and how far along I am in implementing them.
Thanks again!
p.
I've closed this topic to new comments because it's getting hard to track who is replying to which comment. If you have more features suggestions for KnitMinder, go ahead and create a new top-level topic!