Up next in 10
? **KnitCompanion App Review | Courtney's Experience** ?
Oct 20, 2024
In this video, I’m diving into the knitCompanion app—an essential tool for knitters and crocheters looking to simplify their projects and stay organized! As a crochet garment designer and creator of **Creations by Courtney**, I always look for tools to make crafting easier. After using the app for a few weeks, I’m here to share my honest thoughts and experience with knitCompanion. Spoiler alert: I'm a fan! ? ? Whether you're a beginner or seasoned pro, knitCompanion offers helpful features like customizable row counters, annotation tools, and more, making it easier to track your progress and follow patterns. Watch my full review to see how it can enhance your crochet or knitting workflow! ? **As a crochet enthusiast focused on wearable creations**, I’m excited to test out the calculator feature more when modifying the fit of a wearable! ? **What do you think of knitCompanion?** Let me know in the comments below! Have you tried it, or do you use another tool for organizing your crochet or knitting patterns? ? **Liked this review?** Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for more crochet tips, app reviews, and tutorials from Courtney's Brand! ? **More Videos You May Enjoy**: - Unboxing a Squirrel Cage Swift https://youtu.be/ldyOlEhl5Z4 - Catwalk Crochet Presentation https://youtu.be/RW_5gidDUvo?si=fBO_R2IPxZe2Q-4Y ✨ **Connect with me**: - **Website**: [creationsbycourtney.com](https://creationsbycourtney.com) - **Facebook Group**: Confidently Crochet with Creations by Courtney - **Instagram**: @creationsbycourtney
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hey, Creation's by Courtney here with my first app review
0:05
Not sure if this is something that I'll do regularly, but this was a fun opportunity
0:10
I was provided with a paid subscription so I can see all of the features and not leave anything out
0:18
Now, I will admit, I'm still learning the app. Like, there is so much you can do
0:22
So this is the first part of it. This is what I think is more than enough to get you started should you decide to check it out
0:30
whether you get the free or the paid version of knit companion
0:34
Yes, knit companion. I normally don't try the apps that have knit in it
0:39
Because in my experience, a lot of the other apps are very limited for crocheters
0:44
But I have to say that this one, it works no matter what type of fiber artists you are
0:49
because it's really, really meant for your patterns. I know a lot of you prefer to print your patterns, but I don't know about you
0:58
The papers get wrinkles when then you. in your bag. So if you will consider doing digital, this is the way to go. There are so many
1:05
amazing features. And so I'm going to show you what it looks like on my iPad and then I will show you
1:10
how it looks on my iPhone. Let's get to it. All right. So let me show you the app. I was going to show
1:19
you the basics, but then I was reviewing some of the tutorials and there's some really, really
1:24
cool features that I wanted to make sure that you saw. And again, this is just the tip
1:30
of it and as previously stated I was provided a code for the paid version there's
1:38
still quite a bit you can do with the free version and when you head over to the
1:42
blog post to read more about like my pros and cons of that app you'll see a
1:50
comparison chart so I love the little logo the yarn ball so these are some
1:58
things that I've already added and it's really really easy to add a pattern. You can connect your
2:05
Ravelry account, which I think is so awesome because I know that's how many of us got started
2:12
was adding that. If you use Dropbox, you can connect that as well. As you see, it's everything
2:19
If you pick a pattern, you just tap on it and then it loads it, right? So you can view the PDF
2:26
you see the pages across the top and if you want to start you click there okay now i'm not going to go
2:32
through other people's patterns but we will use some of my patterns okay this actually came with the
2:39
app which i think is really really cool by the creator of the app sorry y'all for the notifications
2:46
um so one thing that i want to show you when you get started right so you have all of the pages
2:54
because I want to show you something with written and with a chart. So you click Project, right
3:01
You can label it. We'll call this baby linkage. Create project
3:12
So what this is going to do, you now get these bars, right
3:17
Going two different directions. And you have your row counter. So this blank is actually made in one piece, but if we're made in separate pieces, you can use a row counter for each one
3:30
You click here to move through the pages. And in this pattern, I did include road trackers
3:42
So moving here, okay? This is something that I just discovered, and it is freaking amazing
3:47
Okay? So let's go with the basics. Then I'll show you what I just discovered
3:51
What's also great is that you can zoom it and zoom out and this is what makes it so much better than just using a PDF viewer
3:59
Now if you are a paper pattern person I really want you to consider trying this app out for free
4:04
Because now you can keep all your patterns in the same spot and we'll keep track of where you are no matter how many patterns you're following
4:12
And this is crochet knit or any other pattern. Okay We have the option to scribble you can use your finger
4:21
wait, I'm on eraser. There we go. You can use your finger
4:27
Or if you're like me, you can use a device. Oh, it helps if I actually use the right one, right
4:38
This does include the highlighter, but you don't have to use that
4:45
You tap it to turn it off. You can even rotate the pages, right
4:49
and it will remove your scribbles and that's okay so you can rotate it if you want it to all the way around
4:56
but what's so great i have this right now landscape you can rotate it for portrait okay
5:03
so i like this with the two columns you can kind of move it to remind you where you are
5:10
this dot here you hold for a second and it moves and that's the way to mark where you stop so
5:18
we enclosure project you can put that there to know exactly where you are
5:22
right and if you are following step by step you can slide this bar as well so
5:28
you know what row you're following and it applies the same to the charts right
5:33
and this isn a different position so if we working here we slide here so it like okay if we starting on a right side row well it Tunisian so they all right side rows but you can kind of mark here like okay this one I going to do for the first
5:50
five stitches the next five stitches and then again you can highlight this and now here's the part
5:55
I think is super super awesome right let's go to edit and now you get a section where you can
6:04
highlight you can adjust the bars the width of the bars, right? Like, how cool is that? You can even change the color. I love purple. Y'all
6:16
know I love purple. I like the road glider actually in yellow, but you can pick any of these colors
6:22
and you can also adjust the width. See how wide that is, or you can make it more narrow. So for
6:30
if I are following the chart and not the written, I would probably make it about the same width as the row
6:35
okay and with the row counters uh you can even change the name so we'll say call this edging and i love that
6:46
it's a max of 999 and you can count by one okay you can change that we'll say
6:55
body just as an example and it's so on and so forth there's even a smart
7:05
one and I'll get back to that. You can do magic markers
7:11
This one I haven't played with, but I believe it means that you can change the color
7:17
on the charts. Project info, you can add notes, make an adjustment
7:28
right? And it'll save. There's even a timer. Are you tired of trying to
7:34
estimate how long you've been working on this project. I know I am. So I love that this is
7:40
included that when you have this open, it is actually tracking how long you're following it
7:46
And you have the option to prevent your tablet, even your phone from turning off because, yes
7:52
this works on phones too. Apple and Android devices. How I'm thinking cool is this? You get a whole
7:59
ruler. Okay? Let me rotate it back this way. So it's easier to see you can make it wood you can make it metal you have imperial even metric right
8:11
because if you know me i'm always talking about gated swasters so i have a little swash off to the side
8:17
but look at that you can literally lay it on the screen and measure that out okay like what
8:24
what personally i like the look of the wood it's so classic click done okay this is so cool
8:34
And then there's a calculator. Okay. Now, this is going to be one of the cons that I list because it's for knit
8:42
And I totally get it because the creator is a knitter. But you can put in the information in order to do increases and decreases evenly
8:52
So let's say it's 20 and we want to increase by 10
8:58
Calculate. And it gives you how you can do your increases. Now, I'm not a knitter, but my guess is you will make six knit stitches and then increase
9:09
I don't know if you increase with the six stitch. Again, I don't know knit
9:13
And then you'll do a knit and then increase nine times and then you'll do five at the end
9:20
That is my guess. I don't know how you increase a knit, but that is my guess
9:24
And this would take a little bit of work in order to translate the crochet
9:29
So if we had 20 stitches, I would say you would. crochet six stitches and then increase in that six stitch so really you're going to make five
9:39
and then you'll make the sixth and the seventh in the next one and then you'll repeat nine times
9:47
make a stitch and then increase make a stitch increase and then you'll knit five right yeah so that's
9:54
nine increases and one increase so it'll just increase like in the middle right so your increases
10:01
or literally like this or a row, your increases would be in the middle rather than on the ends
10:08
And you can do that flat or you can do it in the round. Right
10:13
Same idea. Same idea with the decreases. Let's say 40 and we're going to go down to 10
10:21
And it gives you the instructions, right? And this is in a round rather than multiple rounds
10:27
But this gets even better because as a garment maker, One of the most common complaints I hear are sleeves and making the sleeves fit comfortably for your arms, especially if you have nice, juicy biceps, okay
10:46
I know y'all are lifting weights when you're not crocheting. Okay, I know. I barely lift weights
10:51
I take the back. I do. I like to exercise in the morning. But you can do an increase or decrease taper
10:55
So if you're starting at the shoulder and going down to the wrist, you can put in your gauge information
11:01
let's say is 12 rows per 4 inches let's say a starting count of 80 ending stitch say at the wrist
11:12
um we say 35 and then for the length we say 18 that that average length of an adult arm make the calculator go away Ooh even number of decreases required Okay so let make this 32 and see if that works
11:33
Boom! Do you see that? That is freaking amazing. Now here is what makes it even better
11:42
So you're going to work two rows and then you're going to decrease at the beginning
11:46
in the end of the row. then you're going to work one row even and then you're just going to repeat step two and three
11:55
decrease one row work even the next row and then work even at the end how freaking amazing is that
12:02
this one is absolutely going to work for crochet um again like i was saying the other ones
12:08
that's a knit i guess it translates i guess we'll find out sorry for the notifications y'all
12:13
here you can copy to your project so what this is means is when you go back here you go to your notes boom it is now there for you to follow okay and if there
12:29
were a video that would be here so when we go back to knit and if you need that out of the way you can do
12:35
that now going back to a page let's zoom out this is so stinking cool let's see I believe it's
12:47
under the road yes the setup okay so this is in two columns and maybe you want to work in smaller
12:54
sections because you look at this you're like oh my word this is a lot of information okay so
13:01
we're going to do written you tap here we're going to do a text piece pick the page
13:12
so you see this little arrow we're going to drag okay we're literally going to break it up like you can literally
13:23
break it into half of the page or maybe you just want like a quarter of the page okay and now you can
13:30
adjust how stinking cool is this right and that's all there is to it so when you go here you now only have
13:41
that portion of the page. How stink and cool is that? Now, you can also set it up
13:50
Let's see. You can even reverse. There we go. Like I said, I'm still learning
13:57
Let's see. Text template. Oh, wait. No, no, no. Hold on. Here we go
14:08
So visible rows. Okay. So we're on this page. and we have one, two, three, four, five, six
14:17
Okay, so we're going to tap this. Maybe. We got two, three, four, got to press a little bit harder
14:29
Okay, six. You always want to start at the top. Okay, do you see that bar
14:35
This yellow box made this first section. You tap it. and the slider will pop up
14:45
You want the blue bar, slide it down. And so it's like making a little grid
14:49
so it's easier to break up the rows, so it's easier to follow
14:57
Now, here is the cool part, okay? Wait for it, wait for it
15:02
Okay, let me go back, come out of this. You see how it's highlighted, right
15:10
This, we don't have to worry about. that you hold it and it shows where you stop right but wait for it here you click here it's the
15:19
automatic stitch marker row counter or you can even use a voice control and it gives you the
15:26
prompts what to remember right so you can write that down take a screenshot next next
15:35
back how freaking cool is that you could be stitching and rather than putting your work down
15:44
to tap it right and then just say stop and then that turns off how stinking cool is that
15:54
and again you have your notes here you want your notes to go away a tap here want the pages
15:59
to go away now what's really cool if you're following your notes when your notes
16:05
knitting there we go at the bottom tap this to get your time your ruler your calculator and if you have
16:13
video that goes there so let me show you what that looks like we're going to use my pin sash
16:21
pattern so there is a video link now in the free version you tap on it and we'll open it in your
16:26
browser when you have this option we have the pro version you can click here
16:35
scroll, tap the link, and it pulls up the link. It will read it automatically and then you can
16:42
label the video, just like that. Add video link. Okay. And we will go back here and it is now
16:53
in your project notes And there the video And so what happens Okay It really loud Oh my this Okay I going to turn the sound off But there an option
17:14
You can adjust how big this is. And then you can make it full screen if you want. Go back
17:21
Close. And there is a way where we'll come around here. But how cool is that? You don't have to leave from your project to work on it
17:32
Like, I am absolutely amazed. Absolutely amazed. And again, it will save your progress
17:37
So, again, that was the baby blanket that came from here. It's organized
17:42
You can search for it. Your PDFs. This is everything that you've pulled into it
17:48
This one is over here because we haven't started the project. So, like, what do y'all think
17:53
I think this freaking amazing. And it is very similar on the phone
17:57
except for you have more symbols rather than the full view in the
18:02
And again, when you pull this up, it will be a smaller portion, right
18:08
So I'll pop in a screen recording, but it kind of comes up like this
18:14
But again, the beauty is that you can zoom in and zoom out. You can still do all of the same things, even on your phone
18:21
And there is a way to link, and I'm still working on that
18:25
I have to like check Nick Companion tutorials. But there should be a way to link what is here
18:32
my started projects on my iPad to my phone. Okay, so what do you think this such a great app, right
20:16
I just love how easy it is to think
20:25
like isn't this such a great app right i just love how easy it is to import from rivalry
20:33
last but not least i wanted to show you what's in this bag yes it is so little this is the
20:43
curved sand by knit companion so they were so kind as this send me one and i'm also doing a
20:51
give away for one lucky winner to have one on their own. So you take out of the package. I love that it
20:58
comes in a little bag and this is like so easy to keep within your project bag. And this is all it is
21:05
right? It's this cute little stand. Look at that. Right? And it is really, really helpful
21:13
for holding your tablet. So let me get that set up. and then I'll show you what it looks like
21:23
All right. So this little curve stand is actually really, really convenient, right
21:32
So it's so easy, right? Right? Right. So compact. Again, close it, open it
21:41
Place your tablet, right? Because I prefer to work for my patterns with it up vertical instead of flat
21:48
That way I have more space to put my yarn. right? And again, you still have access. And I would say you can turn it this way, landscape
22:00
and again, still see everything. Zoom in, zoom out. This, so nice, right? And it works obviously with
22:09
phones because it's nice and small, easy to carry. So make sure you look at the details below
22:16
in order to find out how to enter the giveaway. That way one lucky winner gets their own
22:24
curve stand to use with their phone or tablet for their next project
22:29
Crochet, knit, weaving, whatever it may be. But I will talk with y'all soon
22:34
Make sure you hit that like and subscribe button and the notification bell so you don't miss out
22:39
on any future videos and updates. Keep stitching
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