Does anyone stitch from their Kindle/Android/iPad?

XStitchDoc

I was wondering if anyone here uses their Kindle, Nook, or tablet computer (or even their smart phone) to stitch from? I know many offices (including mine) are cracking down on employees printing and ink is SOOOO expensive and, honestly, I am running out of room for all my stitching stuff....

I found an inexpensive Android tablet at BigLots and it takes a micro SD card and I am seriously considering seeing how stitching from the screen would work. I think it would also be nice to be able to make the pattern bigger sometimes.

Does anyone here have any experience with this? Any tips? Any suggestions for a good .pdf reader or .jpeg viewer (hopefully one you can annotate and/or highlight freehand on.)

HollyBlue

Why would you be printing personal
hobby stuff at work. What an odd
post. i work at work and stitch at
home.

mgrurbbg

I finally tried Patternkeeper, and it is a game-changer for me.  Ive been stitching for years, but always from paper patterns, marking things off with colored pencils or highlighters. I tried the demo on a whim and Im absolutely hooked. It has totally changed the way I stitch:  its faster (since I can just highlight all the stitches of one color so I dont miss them), and I dont have to worry about page boundaries.  It took me a little bit to get used to looking at a lit screen, but I wont go back to paper unless I have to. THis was one of the few apps that I immediately thought "where have you been all my life!".  

IamJamie

Yes!! I just started using my iPad about a month ago and absolutely love it!! I use an app called goodnotes. Its a PDF viewer that allows me to highlight and make notes on the PDFs. It also has incredible zoom so I can really focus on the area Im stitching. I do have to convert files into PDF format , if they are not already, and merge them together but I installed some great software onto my computer to handle that in seconds.

First I use a program called resize me, this allows me to batch convert multiple files from jpg to PDF. Then I use a program called PDF toolkit to merge them all together into a packet. Then all I have to do is move the complete PDF packet into a program called Dropbox and I can open it on my iPad. The process sound much more labor intensive than it actually is. And the amount of money I will be saving on paper and ink so totally worth the extra few steps.

XStitchDoc

Well, Holly, many people do. In fact, my employer allows me to print pretty much whatever I want. I can still use the printing facilities at work, but I not only wouldnt want to abuse the privelege, but I would also rather spare a tree (or two) and find an alternate method of using my charts.

Perhaps its my profession and level of employment that allows me this measure of freedom at work (and yes, I even have times during my work day when I can actually sit and stitch). A lot of people cant print at work, and I was wondering if any of them had used computers or tablets to stitch from.

IamJamie

HollyBlue replied at 2012-8-17 15:42
Why would you be printing personal
hobby stuff at work. What an odd
post. i work at work and stitch  ...

I know a lot of people that dont own personal printers. And some that have better/faster printers at work and their bosses dont mind that they print personal things at the office. Just because you dont do it doesnt mean other people dont

langstep

IamJamie replied at 2012-8-17 11:29
Yes!! I just started using my iPad about a month ago and absolutely love it!! I use an app called go ...

Are you finding it easy to use your iPad to work from?  I have thought about it, but have not tried to date.  I will have a look at the software you mention, is it for Mac rather than Windows?

Wildflowers

I have never used my tablet to stitch but I stitch from my laptop at home with a program in photoshop that puts a highlighted transparent type of marker on it that slides down as I scroll down on my pattern.   I dont know how to make that in photoshop as my husband is a wiz at things like that but I just sit here, and slide the hot pink marker down on a pattern I scanned and it is like using a magnetic board on a pattern.  

Wildflowers

Maybe I need to see about my tablet too.  I have an Archos tablet and it would be great for if you want to take it with you anywhere!

langstep

The only problem I can see with stitch from my iPad is all the marks on the screen as I mark off my progress and any scribbles I make along the way.  ;P

IamJamie

langstep replied at 2012-8-18 00:29
Are you finding it easy to use your iPad to work from?  I have thought about it, but have not trie ...

It took a little bit of adjusting but after a day or so I find it much easier now. Probably because the zoom function is so nice. I use macs so Im not sure if the goodnotes app is also windows based. But im sure that there is one that will be suitable for windows.