iPads and Kindles for stitching

[fccs]

I think I've seen some of you mention using these devices for your charts. I'm just curious as to the method and if it is easier than using the actual chart. I could email myself a PDF of my chart or even just take a picture, but I don't know if the scrolling around would be too much. I haven't tried it yet, and will, but thought I'd also ask for your input.

[rcperryls]

I'm sure there are other ways of doing this, but I email my pdf to my gmail acct as it is easier to use on my iPad than my comcast act. I open the pdf attachment and have several apps that I can use. One that was recommended here on the forum is GoodNotes (not expensive, the free version limits the number of pdfs you can have). I also have iBooks and Kindle also works. Some use the tablets exclusively. The apps let you magnify as well as highlight and bookmark pages. I use it mainly to magnify charts if I cannot determine what a symbol is exactly. I still like the old fashioned printed page but may move to the iPad primarily one day.

Hope this gives you a little more info.

Carole

[MaggieM1750]

I have a Kindle Fire.
The only chart I have stitched from so far, is Mabels hardanger SAL.
It is a PDF, and small. I can easily see the whole chart on my screen.
So, no need to mark my page or anything.

It does get a bit tedious trying to scroll between different pages of the document. Or to look something up, then go back to my PDF. When I have a normal, printed chart- I can rip chart apart and look at instructions and stitch detail, compare with my project, AND be looking on computer at a website, or video... I can have lots of things in front of me at the same time. Not so much with Kindle.

I have uploaded another small chart to stitch from- we'll see how that goes- haven't started it yet. Its regular cross stitch- so no specialty stitches, nothing to search the internet for. Shouldn't need to be flipping pages.

I have also scanned in a copy of my DMC thread checklist.. mainly so that I always have it with me for reference. I'll update the image the next time I buy a bunch. It may not be 100% correct.. but its close enough. I also have a notes app, and one of my tabs is stitchy projects. What patterns I have, what I am working on, who is getting what, what stage of kitting they are in.
So I use my Fire more as a reference tool than to stitch from.

[annamarie23]

I'm sure there are other ways of doing this, but I email my pdf to my gmail acct as it is easier to use on my iPad than my comcast act. I open the pdf attachment and have several apps that I can use. One that was recommended here on the forum is GoodNotes (not expensive, the free version limits the number of pdfs you can have). I also have iBooks and Kindle also works. Some use the tablets exclusively. The apps let you magnify as well as highlight and bookmark pages. I use it mainly to magnify charts if I cannot determine what a symbol is exactly. I still like the old fashioned printed page but may move to the iPad primarily one day.

Hope this gives you a little more info.

Carole

Hi Carole. Following on from my thread about symbols, I've emailed myself a copy of the chart and have just downloaded the Goodnotes app to see how I get on. If it works well on my iPad, then I will buy the full version. I will give anything a go! Thank you for the tips and advice.

Anna-Marie x

[gparr]

I tend to use paper charts, but use my iPhone and iPad frequently for work pdfs and highly recommend using the GoodReader app. It's a powerful/versatile tool for viewing, organizing, and manipulating pdf files.
Gary

[Aerona]

I use the PDF-notes app which connects up with Dropbox.

So, I buy my charts on my ipad from wherever, after I have them opened up in iBooks (the default) then I choose "open in Dropbox" and it will save them there. Then, I have access to them anywhere...my laptop, my ipad, my iTouch, etc.

When it comes time to actually use it, I just go into PDF-notes, download the chart I want from Dropbox (it is pretty obvious how to do that once you are in PDF-notes app) and then I can highlight, zoom in, etc to my hearts content. If I have already downloaded the chart once, then it is already there and ready to use. PDF-notes saves the highlighted version separately from the original so you aren't messing up the "good" version.

I have done a little stitching with a printed copy but it is a ton harder for me to read (can't zoom) and if I mess up highlighting or something then the print copy is toast whereas I can just flip to eraser mode and fix the e-version. I also haven't lost my ipad yet, but I have lost countless papers. And my kitten can't destroy my ipad nearly as easily.

The only negative to the e-versions is that often times you can't sell them if you were ever inclined to do so (depends on the designer and the way their licensing and copyright are arranged).

[fccs]

Thanks for all the ideas. I think I will try the iPad with one of my smaller projects first. I also love the idea of using it to magnify areas of charts. Being a tech geek, I love the idea of using my "toys" to help with my main love, cross stitching.

[Mrs Milkybar Kid]

Just chipping in to say I use my iPad for ALL my stitching (HAEDs/Chats etc) - even to the point of scanning in magazine charts so I can have it on my iPad as my working copy! I use Dropbox (which I always used to store my PDF charts pre-iPad as a back up source incase my laptop died) and GoodNotes - love being able to enlarge and annotate my charts to my hearts content!

[fccs]

Just chipping in to say I use my iPad for ALL my stitching (HAEDs/Chats etc) - even to the point of scanning in magazine charts so I can have it on my iPad as my working copy! I use Dropbox (which I always used to store my PDF charts pre-iPad as a back up source incase my laptop died) and GoodNotes - love being able to enlarge and annotate my charts to my hearts content!

Good to know. I have used Dropbox and GoogleDrive for awhile, so I am almost halfway there as far as using my iPad.

[Serinde]

I do the same as Gary. What a difference being able to magnify and highlight a chart (or even cancel the highlighting in the event of a mistake). I don't think I could have tackled Tanglewood, my current WIP, without it because the chart was presented with teeny tiny symbols in the magazine. Now, that's not an issue. The other wonderful thing is portability. No worries about losing pages, or having pages damaged. I'm even thinking of moving a paper subscription to e-mag it's so impressive...

[Ladymyste65]

I use my ipad and kindle for my patterns. I scan them to a PDF and email them to myself. On my ipad I use Knit Companion to stitch from as I use it for my knitting and it works great. I also store the PDFs in PDF printer and iBooks as my backups so they don't get lost.
On my kindle I just email them to my kindle and that way I have that as a backup if I'm out and leave my kindle home. I haven't really stitched from them but they are there if I need them.