Get Started with Knitting with these 5 Must-Have Crochet Apps

Hey there! As a fellow knitting enthusiast, I wanted to share my top app recommendations to help you get the most out of your hobby. With the right knitting apps, you‘ll wonder how you ever managed all those projects without these digital helpers!

Let‘s dive in and explore how knitting apps can transform your craft.

Why Knitting Apps are Game-Changers

First, I think it‘s helpful to understand all the ways knitting apps can optimize your knitting experience. These apps put powerful tools right in the palm of your hand.

Here are some of the key benefits knitting apps provide:

• Portability – Bring patterns, row counters, tutorials, and yarn info with you wherever you go. No more hauling project bags crammed with paper tools.

• Organization – Keep all your patterns, yarns, needles, and projects neatly organized in one place. Some apps even connect with Ravelry to sync your profile.

• Patterns – Instant access to thousands of knitting patterns – no more trips to the craft store. Browse patterns from top designers and indie creators.

• Community – Connect with fellow knitters to share projects and get advice. The social features alone make knitting apps worth downloading.

• Tools – Take advantage of specialized tools like row/stitch counters, calculators, timers, and project planners.

• Learning – Watch technique videos, follow detailed photo tutorials, take classes, and more. Apps make learning knitting easier than ever.

Simply put, knitting apps offer powerful utility through specialized features and resources for knitters. Let‘s look at some of my favorites.

1. Ravelry

If you haven‘t joined Ravelry yet, it‘s a must for any knitter! With over 10 million members, it‘s hands-down the most popular online knitting community.

The Ravelry app lets you access all the amazing features easily on your phone or tablet. Here‘s an overview of what you can do:

• Patterns – Browse and search over a million knitting, crochet, and weaving patterns across all skill levels. Easily save favorites or queue patterns up for future projects.

• Projects – View and share your own projects. See what other Ravelers are working on for inspiration.

• Groups – Join interest-based groups to share ideas and get feedback on everything from techniques to specific patterns.

• Forums – Dive into Ravelry‘s active discussion forums to ask questions, get tips, and connect with other members.

• Friends – Connect with other Ravelers and see what your friends are knitting.

• More – Organize your yarn, needles, and project status. Access your notebooks and more.

Ravelry offers a free membership with the option to upgrade to Ravelry Pro for $6/month to access additional benefits like advanced search, no ads, and early pattern access.

The Ravelry community is unmatched. If you want to connect with other knitters and access patterns, the Ravelry app is absolutely essential.

Don‘t be overwhelmed by the vastness of Ravelry. You can ease in by following a few friendly designers, joining some beginner-focused groups, and browsing patterns you‘d like to make.

Before you know it, you‘ll have new online knitting buddies, project inspiration, and advice for any knitting roadblocks you encounter. Ravelry may seem intimidating at first but the community is open and incredibly supportive!

Available: iOS and Android

Cost: Free membership, $6/month for Ravelry Pro

2. Knit Companion

Let‘s say you purchased an advanced lace shawl pattern on Ravelry (awesome choice, by the way!). You‘ll want Knit Companion to take that pattern to the next level.

Knit Companion transforms downloaded patterns into interactive, customizable tools. I wish I had this app when I made my first lace project!

Here‘s what makes Knit Companion so amazing:

• Import any pattern – Upload PDFs or import patterns from Ravelry, Etsy, ravelry designers‘ websites, and more.

• Customize sizing – Adjust the pattern size and yarn weight/gauge and Knit Companion recalculates on the fly. No more printouts for each adjustment!

• Tools galore – Highlighters, row counters, calculators, live pattern search, stitch definition lookup, and more.

• Charts and photos – View special stitches and photos in-line with written instructions. No scrolling back and forth between pages.

• Lifelines – Mark lifelines directly on the pattern to easily find your place if you have to rip back. Genius!

• Share progress – Connect with other users to share your progress and get feedback. The Knit Companion community is very helpful.

With Knit Companion, you‘ll have the capabilities of advanced knitting software right on your phone or tablet. It‘s an invaluable tool if you make complex patterns or want to customize and annotate projects.

If you work with digital patterns, Knit Companion is one of the best knitting apps around. The customization features are game-changing.

Available: iOS and Android

Cost: $2.99 one-time, $4.99/year subscription for additional features

3. Stitch Counter Apps for Simple Utility

Sometimes you just need the knitting basics like a row counter, timer, or project tracker. Rather than fussing with paper, there are some great utility apps for simple knitting needs:

Stitch Counter

Best for: Quick and easy row counting and timing

Stitch Counter provides all the knitting utility essentials in a streamlined app:

• Set manual row counters, timers, and project timers.

• Customize counters with titles, labels, and colors.

• Create multiple counters for different projects.

• Use sound options for counting alerts.

The no-frills interface makes Stitch Counter easy to use for on-the-go knitting. Upgrade to the $0.99 Stitch Counter+ to remove ads.

Available: iOS

Cost: Free, $0.99 to remove ads

SimpleRows

Best for: Counting rows across multiple projects

SimpleRows offers enhanced tools for managing multiple project counters:

• Create unlimited counters with project names and yarn details.

• View counters in a scrollable list with summed row totals for each.

• Track row repeat sections like chart repeats.

• Analyze time spent per project with timestamps.

• Set reminders to knit and enter notes per project.

Whether you juggle multiple projects or just want to analyze your knitting time, SimpleRows provides helpful tracking options.

Available: iOS

Cost: $2.99

Knit Counter

Best for: Advanced audio row counters

For hands-free counting, Knit Counter offers advanced audio row features:

• Voice count rows by saying "Knit one row" or "Purl one row".

• Set custom phrases for counting rows.

• Use sound effects or text-to-speech voice options.

• Create per-project voice profiles like "Scarf Counter" and "Sock Counter".

If you like audible row counting, Knit Counter has the most customizable voice features I‘ve seen.

Available: iOS and Android

Cost: $2.99

Simple utility apps like these provide easy access to row counting essentials for on-the-go knitting.**

4. Social Apps to Connect with the Knitting Community

One of my favorite things about knitting is the community. Knitters are some of the most encouraging, inspiring people you‘ll meet!

Beyond robust communities like Ravelry, there are apps designed specifically for connecting knitters:

Stitch Away

Best for: Sharing projects and getting feedback

Stitch Away makes it easy to engage with other knitters:

• Post your projects and progress to get encouragement and advice.

• Browse other knitters‘ project photos.

• Join knitalongs and ongoing conversations via chat.

• Access sharedpatterns and tutorials.

Stitch Away is fantastic for sharing your knitting in a positive community. The chat features make it easy to connect 1-on-1 with experienced knitters for tips.

Available: iOS, Android

Cost: Free, $2.99/month for additional content

Projectarian

Best for: Photo sharing and contests

Projectarian has a beautiful interface tailored for visual sharing:

• Post stunning project photos and get reactions.

• Browse the photo feed and favorite projects.

• Join photo contests like "Most Colorful Knit".

• Use hashtag themes like #sweaterweather or #hatsforall.

If the visual side of knitting inspires you, Projectarian delivers. The contests and photo feed make it fun to share and find inspiration.

Available: iOS

Cost: Free

Knit Companion

Best for: Getting feedback on technique

We already covered the pattern features, but Knit Companion also facilitates community:

• Share in-progress photos of your projects.

• Comment on other users‘ project photos to help with technique.

• Join groups focused on specific patterns or techniques.

When you need guidance on a tricky stitch, the Knit Companion community is happy to help!

Available: iOS, Android

Cost: $2.99 one-time, subscription for additional features

Beyond these apps, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitch also host thriving knitting communities.

Connecting with other knitters provides so much inspiration and encouragement. Social knitting apps make it extra fun and easy.

5. Specialized and Niche Knitting Apps

While general purpose apps like Ravelry cover the basics, specialized apps deliver targeted benefits:

Row Rouge

Best for: Colorwork knitting

Row Rouge excels at colorwork projects like fair isle:

• Generate colorwork motif ideas from an image.

• Create colorwork charts with customized symbols and colors.

• Get chart reading practice with quizzes.

• Use a row-by-row chart reader as you knit.

For the colorwork obsessed, Row Rouge provides awesome tools for designing, charting, and knitting intricate patterns.

Available: iOS, MacOS

Cost: $4.99

Knit Map

Best for: Recording your hand-knits

Knit Map helps you catalog your precious handknits:

• Log yarn details, needles, patterns, and project notes.

• Mark knits as given away, sold, or stored.

• View stats on your knitting over time.

• Generate a map of where your knits are now.

Want to track where all your handknits end up? Knit Map creates a treasure map of your knitting legacy.

Available: iOS, Android

Cost: Free basic, $2.99 Pro

Knit Companion

We‘ve covered Knit Companion‘s excellent pattern and community features. But I also want to highlight their niche specialty:

Best for: Designing your own patterns

Knit Companion offers powerful custom pattern design features:

• Insert charts, text, lines, and symbols to design original patterns.

• Calculate yarn estimates and add sizing options.

• Format with page numbers, headers, borders, and fonts.

• Save, export, or sell your patterns.

Aspiring designers, Knit Companion helps you go from vision to polished pattern!

Available: iOS, Android

Cost: $2.99 one-time, subscription for publishing

There are also great niche apps for amigurumi, yarn management, learning tricks, and more. Beyond the popular apps, keep an eye out for specialty apps that serve your unique knitting interests!

How to Choose the Best Knitting Apps

With so many apps out there, how do you choose what‘s right for you? Here are my top tips:

• Consider your experience level – Beginners may want a simpler utility app plus Ravelry for patterns/community. Advanced knitters can take advantage of customizable tools.

• Identify needs and pain points – What knitting tasks feel tedious? Apps that solve annoyances are worth paying for.

• Pay attention to UI design – You‘ll be using these apps in the midst of knitting projects, so intuitive design is key.

• Read lots of reviews – You can learn a lot about how an app actually functions from user reviews. Sort by recent and most critical.

• Take advantage of free trials – Don‘t pay upfront without testing an app first. Many offer free trials or free basic versions.

• See what fellow knitters recommend – Ask on Ravelry forums or knitting groups to hear what apps others can‘t live without.

There‘s no single perfect knitting app. Choosing apps is about finding the right tools for your unique knitting style and needs. By matching apps to your pain points, you‘ll discover digital helpers you can‘t knit without!

The App-Based Knitting Revolution

Just like paper patterns revolutionized knitting centuries ago, knitting apps are revolutionizing the craft today. These digital tools provide knitters with capabilities never before possible:

• Access millions of patterns in seconds
• Browse yarns and needles like an online store
• Find a global community of knitters to share with
• Customize sizing, charts, fonts, layouts, and more
• Use specialized tools for counting, tracking, designing, and learning
• Bring powerful knitting resources anywhere through smartphone access

Knitting will continue to evolve as long as makers keep innovating and trying new things. But one thing is clear – knitting apps are here to stay as essential tools for knitters of all levels.

Once you try a few apps that click with your style, you‘ll wonder how you ever managed without these digital assistants!

Ready to Knit Smarter?

I hope mapping out the knitting app landscape gave you some ideas for useful apps to try. Just like finding the perfect knitting needles, experiment with different apps until you find your favorites.

Here are a few parting thoughts as you venture into knitting apps:

• Start with 1 or 2 apps and ease into more as you get comfortable. No need to overload yourself.

• Use free trials to test apps out before committing to paid subscriptions.

• Let the knitting community guide you – ask for app recommendations from fellow knitters.

• Match apps to your specific pain points and goals as a knitter for maximum benefit.

• For social features, dive in! The community is so welcoming to new members.

Most of all, have fun exploring new knitting technology! Let me know if you discover any awesome new apps I should check out.

Happy knitting!