Unravel: An Intuitive Stitch Counter for Knit & Crochet

I'm a knitter and after a lot of searching and downloading, I noticed that an ideal stitch/row counting app doesn't exist. There are plenty on the market of course, but they are all either extremely complex and suffer from too many features, or they only have a single counter and are limited in functionality. I'd like to create an easy-to-use counter app specifically for knitting and crocheting - one where you can create and title different counters, as well as a feature for separate stitch counters and row counters that nest into one another.

For instance, let's say a project has 18 stitches per row. Knitters can tap the counter for each stitch the knit, as with any counting app, but every time the counter reaches 18, it will add 1 to the row counter and reset the stitch counter to 0. Users can input the number of stitches per row for each individual project, and this number can be edited halfway through without changing the overall values in the counter. Counters can also be manually reset, but this will require a few steps so that people can't accidentally reset it without meaning to, losing their place in the process.

The chart below is a competitive analysis of a few other stitch and row counting apps. I actually use a different app simply called Counter for most of my knitting needs, but as it is not specific to knitting and crocheting, I don't think it is the best tool for the job. This other app is most similar to Knit and Count, but it allows for more than one counter. It also isn't nearly as aesthetically pleasing, but the buttons are quite large, making it simple to use. I'd like my app to be a mix-and-match of different features from all the ones listed, and overall, I want to focus on simplicity and ease of use over the number of functions.

By the way, here is the layout of Knit and Count as the most visually pleasing example:

Row Counter	BeeCount	Knit and Count	Crochet and Knit
Pros -connected to Ravelry -easy import patterns -voice-activated counter feature -has nice animations, feels professional	Pros -connected to Ravelry -that’s basically it, this app is...not great	Pros -opens right to a counter instantly, no extra menus -very aesthetically pleasing, nice animations -large button -app always reopens to same number as it was when previously used without having to manually save -simple layout -my most prefered one to actually use, I still have it on my phone in fact	Pros -can import pattern PDFs or link to websites -can manually type pattern instructions -can add details about the yarn or pattern (brand, color, dye lot, gauge, yardage, etc.) in individual info fields -has multiple counters (a main one and sub- counters, similar to what I want) -optional timer of how long you spend on a project -a bunch of other useful features, honestly. A menu for yarn inventory so you can see what yarns you have without actually looking through a box or bag. -stitch library for both knit and crochet stitch types. -contains a key/legend for what abbreviations mean (e.g. k = knit, st = stitch) -contains a unit conversion calculator (e.g. in to cm)
Cons -contains ads -confusing to new users -not very intuitive -possible “featuritis” -some features (e.g. extra subcounters) limited except to paid “premium” users ($6.99 per year, no one-time purchase option) -slightly laggy at times -counter starts at 1, not 0 -buttons are tiny and not easy to press when hands are full of yarn	Cons -more complicated navigation than it should be -buttons are slightly larger than Row Counter’s, but still not large enough (to me) -app opens to a welcome page every time instead of instantly opening your projects. An extra and unnecessary step -things must be saved manually -is overall very ugly	Cons -no option to save different counters or projects, there’s only a single main counter	Cons -again...small buttons -all counters are labeled “number of rows” and cannot be changed. So while counters can be linked to the main counter, it can be confusing. -The sub-counters, while they can be linked to the main counter, do not work the way I would like them to. -ads pop up out of nowhere seemingly every 2 minutes. Costs $2.50 to “upgrade” app. -App contains tutorials for beginners...that cannot be accessed without the paid version of the app

Below are some of my rough sketches and notes for my app.

Note: The numbers on the sketches are just randomly chosen to represent stitch and row numbers in the counter. They have no significance to the design.






On the first page, I have color categorized the visual elements of my design. The red ones are irrelevant on non-functional, the yellow ones are angular in style and similar visually to the Counter app that I currently use, and the blue ones are the rounded designs that are similar to Knit and Count but with more functions. I think I'm going to focus the visual aspect of my design based on the blue category. Each of these sketches features the two separate counters that are visually connected in some way, with the stitch counter - the one that will be used more frequently - appearing larger than the overall row counter. This is the basic idea that I am going for - I want it the app's purpose and functionality to be obvious just from looking at the layout.

Gretchen

Gretchen, 70, is a recently-retired nurse practitioner. After having an extremely demanding schedule, she is uncomfortable suddenly not having anything to do. She has always had a fondness for crafting, so she now knits and crochets a lot of clothes and blankets for her young grandchildren to fill her spare time. She is not very familiar with newer technologies, but her 32-year-old daughter Mallory bought her a smartphone recently as a way to keep in touch. Gretchen discovered plenty of apps that help keep track of knitting and crocheting, but a lot of them are too complicated for her to understand. On top of this, her deteriorating eyesight and fine motor skills make it difficult to see and press the small buttons. She wants an app that is easy to use and with large buttons that she can actually use.

Mallory

Mallory is Gretchen’s daughter. Gretchen taught her to knit at a fairly young age, which allowed her to earn a bit of spending money at local craft shows during her teenage years. At the age of 32, she has two kids of her own, ages 2 and 5. She is a very busy working mom, but she often spends short periods of time (around 5-10 minutes) knitting a few rows whenever she gets a free moment. Because of this, she wants an app that will let her keep track of her knitting projects by auto-saving her stitch and row counts, even when she’s too busy to work on them for several weeks at a time.

Ray

Ray, 23, is a part-time environmental science college student with a full-time job at a call center. He lives with his boyfriend Ryan in a one-bedroom apartment and pays for half the rent, plus his tuition (and as a result, he is an avid supporter of #FightFor15). He buys all his crocheting supplies almost exclusively from thrift stores or other second-hand markets whenever he has the spare change. He only recently took an interest in crocheting, so he is still quite slow at it and only knows the basics. He wants an app that can not only keep track of his crocheting, but that also helps him learn techniques and tutorials as needed in a non-video/silent format. Ryan works first shift, and Ray doesn’t want any audio from his phone to wake him after coming home from evening classes. His thrifty nature means he hasn’t invested in a pair of headphones or earbuds.

Skye

At age 17, Skye is just learning how to knit, and it’s a pretty rough process for them. No one else in their family knows how, so they are learning entirely from internet tutorials. Skye needs an app that keeps track of their counting in the least confusing way possible while they work to master the basics. Losing count of stitches as a beginner would make an already difficult process even harder.

Scenarios

Mallory is sick of the counting apps that are currently on the market. They aren't very useful to her since she has to use separate counters for stitches and rows, and so she still has to do a lot of mental work to keep track of where she is in her pattern, which is especially difficult because she has such young children to keep track of. She starts to use Unravel instead, so now she is able to count only the stitches, and the rows are tracked automatically based on the specifications of her pattern.

Ray is trying to crochet a hat for the first time, so he needs to keep referencing the pattern to know what to do next. It's frustrating for him to switch back and forth between a counter app and the PDF of his pattern. Some apps do let him import his pattern, but even then, he always has to find where he left off on the page. He instead downloads Unravel. Now he not only has a better counting app, but he can import the PDF of his pattern that will track his progress for him. As he completes rows and logs them into the counter, the app automatically highlights the completed rows in a pale yellow so that Ray can easily find his place.

Gretchen, who is an old pro at knitting and crocheting but a newbie when it comes to tech, finds most apps too complex to understand and with buttons that are far too tiny for her fading eyesight and imprecise hands. Mallory recommends Unravel and it makes a real difference. Gretchen can easily see the large numbers and buttons on the screen, and better yet, she doesn't even have to press them. She uses voice activation when the repetitive motion of reaching over too her phone becomes too tiring. All she has to say is "Add," and the counter will add one as if she pressed the button.

Paper Prototype Video:

 

In case that doesn't work, here's a link.

Below is the home screen of my app, which will appear upon launch. If there is an existing project, the app will display the stitch and row counts exactly as they were when the app was last closed.

Here's a video of someone importing a pattern so they can begin working on their new project. The app automatically reads the pattern and determines the correct number of stitches per row, plus the total number of rows. It prompts you to double check, allowing for adjustments Unravel happens to read a pattern incorrectly.

Again, here's a link just in case.

My final presentation can be found here.