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Knitting Computer Design
Overview
In the past we have
used this space for book reviews but with all of the knitting design computer programs on the market now it seems like
a good idea to review them. With each program name and information will be a link to find out more about it. Aran
Paint Plus (PC Only) Create unique textured knitting stitch
patterns, raised motif designer and includes a library of stitch patterns. There is a free demo program. Purchase price of the program is $49.95 Once
purchased you get instant delivery of the program via download. *** DesignAKnit
(PC Only) Marketed mostly to machine knitters but this program
is easily used by handknitters as well. There is a demo but it is limited. It offers a stitch designer and shows the stitch symbols on screen. The price is not shown
on the website. They also offer tutorial CDs for purchase. *** Garment
Designer (PC and Mac) Versatile charting and garment design program using standard
and custom sizes. This program offers many features for styles of all parts of the garment. The garment is easily
customized to suit the designer. Garment Designer is produced by the same company which makes Stitch Painter (see below).
The garment designed can be imported into Stitch Painter. Free demo program is available for download. The
full program is $165. Stitch Painter (PC and Mac) Grid-based paint program for knitting and any craft
based on grids. Free demo available. Full program is $165. *** Knit
Visualizer (PC and Mac) Knit Visualizer was created to assist in building charts
from knitting patterns almost automatically. Free demo
is available. Full program cost is $185. *** Knitware
Basics, Knitware Skirts and Shawls, Knitware Sweaters (PC Only) For hand and machine knitters as well as crocheters.
Free demo available. The full program is available as a download at a cost of $60. *** Needle Trax (PC and Macs running Virtual PC) Database program for managing yarn inventory, books and
patterns, needles, project management. This program is
$29.95. *** Random Stripe Generator This is a very cool FREE program. It is used online with nothing needed
to download. *** Knitting Software This company sells a number of software programs: Sock Wizard (PC and Mac) - allows you to design socks
in all sizes. Free demo available. The full price is $34.95 and includes the Sock Wizard Guide which is a help
file that is a manual on sock knitting. Stitch
and Motif Maker (PC Only) - Design stitch and color patterns. Demo is free and full program is $89.95. Sweater Wizard (PC and Mac) - Generate scematics and text
direction for sweater customized to your specifications. Free demo. Full program is $89.95 Knitting Math Wizard (PC Only) - Knitting Math Wizard is not a garment charting program, but a tool to be used in conjunction with those
hard to figure out problems that pop up in knitting patterns, such as spacing buttonholes evenly or shortening sleeves and
then changing the rate of increase. Free demo. Full program cost is $24.95. Print-a-Grid (PC Only) -
Print-A-Grid was written with all crafters in mind and for anyone who just needs to print graph paper to custom specifications.
Demo available and full program is $14.95. Swatch Wizard (PC and Mac) - Swatch Wizard calculates gauge accurately. It also has a database
included to track your gauge swatches. Full program is $9.95. *** Stash
Wiz for Knitters/Crocheters (PC Only, Mac version being developed) Database program for organizing yarns, patterns, needle,
knitting tools. Use with a scanner to scan in yarns, pattern covers, etc. Demo is available. Full program
is $89.99. *** I am sure
there are more programs than these but these seem to be the most popular. Feel free let me know your experiences with
these or other programs.
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