PatternGenius User Reviews

Top reviews

Pattern Genius loading issue

My iPad Pro is updated to the newest version of iPad iOS 26.3.1.. However since this update my Pattern Genius app will not open. It starts but then immediately closes. It would be great if you could address this problem.

Really good app… but

This is a really terrific app. I’ve used it to design fairisle and cable cardigans. It gives you charts, instructions and printouts. It would be even better if you could copy patterns or sections between one project and the next. It would also be great to be able to flip on the horizontal as well as the vertical. I know this wouldn’t work with cables or lace but surely it could easily be a feature within the colourwork section? What do you say developers… worth a try???
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Almost there

easy to use on iPad and desktop, but lacks a few features:

I would like to be able to make multiple charts in one project so that I can have a new blank page or duplicate a current chart and make changes
and/or
copy a project and give it a new name.

It would also be helpful if I could select a range on a chart and use the delete stitch key to "batch" clear a section of the chart.
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Almost perfect

This app is almost perfect. I use this for almost every knitting project, because I can't just knit a pattern as written! I have a few very minor quibbles, but I haven't found anything better. Sometimes it crashes when I am trying to undo something. It would be cool if we could specify if the boxes in the grid were square or more rectangular, which would give a better idea of how the pattern would look knitted up. I also wish I could flip a pattern vertically (over the x axis) as well as horizonally. But other than those few things, this program is Fabulous.
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Useless buggy

Wanted to use the app and it instantly asked me to pay to use the main feature. Just make it a paid app...

Ugh

I’ve had this for a couple of years. I use it on and off but each time I use the paintbrush it forces the app to close. It’s annoying to put a p for each and every box one by one because the one that does it all together crashes the app. I’ve emailed the developers before. I was told to make sure everything was updated which I did and it still crashed my app. I would love this app if it wouldn’t crash.
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Good app - could be improved

I’m enjoying using this app - particularly in conjunction with KnitCompanion. I’ve used it to create charts, colour and stitch based and despite it slowing down a bit when the charts are large, it does work well. But, for me, it has one particular restriction that I find annoying: you can’t change the grid to reflect the shape of your stitches. It’s very rare that a stitch is square; as on knitting graph paper, stitches are usually squished a bit, being wider than they are tall, and this varies from pattern to pattern. But importantly, if you’re doing colour work - and particularly if you’re doing intarsia or pictorial knitting - being able to create a workable pattern is hampered by the grid being unrelentingly ‘square’. Allowing the grid to reflect the stitches would really improve this app.

Still waiting (a year later) for something to be done about the ability to change ratios for fields so that you can adapt to the shape/size of your stitches.

Also hoping that the ability to replicate a design, either by copying and pasting the whole field into a new file, or by renaming a design and thus creating a new file with the same design. Having to photograph and then reinsert each stitch in a complicated lace pattern, when you just want to try out a slightly altered design, without losing the original, would be a definite improvement. Please get on it app designers! Thanks.
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Less Functions than excel

With the free version, you're restricted to a handful of stitch symbols.

You're not able to use the colour function, multiselect tool, or really anything other than click and drag.

My main gripe is there's no way to make the grid bigger than 30X30 stitches. Many of my patterns are much, much larger
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Pattern Genius is a great app! There is a learning curve.

This is a great app. The problem for some of us with this learning curve is we are not all visual auditory learners, some of us are visual/kinesetic which means show me and let me do it.
The “PrettyPink.com site on YouTube helps a lot! Please keep them coming!
Thanks Sally and gang for your great efforts and persistence to solve knitters learning problems.
This is the best app of its type out there, the rest seem to be going defunct.
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Great if only....

This is a great app to design with, especially using the chart option. It takes a little time to find some of the hidden gems.... like being able to change the chart colours if you want to. Useful if you want six shades of pink :). There are two things that would make this a top rated app for me, be able to change the name of your creation if you want to - once it’s named it’s set in stone, be warned. Secondly, the ability to print out your design. Not everyone wants to sit with an electronic device on for hours on end.
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Latest upgrade bug?

Pattern Genius is by far my favorite knitting app. However since the latest upgrade I am having a problem. I cannot color or change the color of the stitches. The chart takes a long time to save to the app and there is an error message that says the chart is unable to sync. Charts do not sync between the app on my iPad and the app on my phone.

I hope this can be fixed.
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Must pay for basic functionality

The app should not be 'free'. Anything I tried to do in the app was behind a paywall.

In addition, the interface is confusing and not optimised for macos

And the clouds rolled back, and the angels sang...

Is this the best charting app available?
Yes
Did I buy an iPad just so I could get it?
Yes
Am I overjoyed that now I can also have it on my Mac?
Why yes, yes I am.

I've bought the annual subscription each year, and developments like this let me know that it's worth every penny and then some.

I especially appreciate the decision to let the subscription carry over from iOS to Mac.
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It’s good if you don’t wanna do color work

I only gave it 3 stars because it’s a good app for creating basic designs like lace or cables, but at least let us have some basic colors with the free version.

Good design, too many crashes and loss of work

I really wanted this to work. Started playing with it and was thrilled. Then the crashes started. The crashes started coming seconds a part from each other, and when they happen, they often delete the latest work (if you are lucky). On a few occasions the crash deleted pattern entirely. Now I’m trying in small efforts, maybe that will help.

A few notes.
Losing the projects entirely happened when I had iCloud sync on. It didn’t help.

The only place with a “save” button to use at all is in the chart set up, and it looks as if that may only save the chart settings, not the work on the chart.

All the features that make the app cool are only available by subscription. Know that going in.
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Generally a great app for designing

I have just downloaded this app as I love knitting lace & colour work. Have just tried it for a couple of basic lace patterns, the only thing that would give it 5 stars for me would be the ability to change the colour of the lines to demarcate the pattern repeats. So to be able to draw say a red line would give it 5 stars
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Desperation makes me use it.

This app needs work. Sadly, it’s the best for iPad, but that’s only because the competition is worse.
It’s got a host of issues:
❌Crashes constantly. It gets to where i feel a little dread if i have to hit the undo button. Undo makes most crashes.
❌No Apple Pencil support! Doesn’t recognize the pen at all, not for drawing, not for picking a stitch, nothing!
❌Show/hide rulers will change magnification
❌No true stitch/key customization - you can rename the stitches, you can Frankenstein “new” stitches by repurposing supplied stitches, but true custom key/stitch is not there.
❌I haven’t even attempted to have it go from chart to instruction yet. PC charting apps can go from text to chart and back. This one only one way.
😡I had high hopes for this app. I have an iPad Pro w/pencil and wanted to be able to work directly on my charts rather than deal with PC & mouse. Very disappointed.
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Potentially very good.

This potentially is a great app, but I can’t add stitches to it. As a beginner you look through knitting books for patterns but can’t add them to the stitches. It needs a better manual too. So can’t really recommend as the must have.

Program keeps crashing

I am really struggling to produce patterns, the program no longer allows you to copy patterns and has crashed 8 times today loosing 2 days of work.
It was good but now no longer worth using

Good design, lots of crashes

Backing up isn’t working, and the crashes are deleting my work.