Create2Thrive

After years of trying to follow her knitting patterns using more traditional methods of printed paper, magnet boards, tape and scissors, Sally Holt threw her hands in the air and said “There has got to be a better way!” Her long time colleague and friend Jeff Smith (aka “the elf”) agreed. The two formed Create2Thrive Inc. and began a multi-year project to find that better way. From this beginning came an app called knitCompanion®, which provides a new way to work with patterns. It eliminates the need for highlighter tape, magnet boards, sticky notes and more. It also goes beyond any PDF reader by enabling the knitter to re-assemble the pattern into dynamic instructions. No longer does the knitter need to flip pages to find the key or designer notes. There is no need to track progress on multiple charts to finish a single row of knitting. And the dreaded “at the same time” style of instructions can now be easily knit without hassles. What is more, the knitter doesn’t have to re-enter the pattern instructions.

The patented* knitCompanion app was released in 2011. The goal of the app is to enhance the tactile knitting experience by streamlining the logistics of the craft so the knitter can focus on the art. With knitCompanion, the knitter is presented with instructions dynamically, the app is tracking their progress at every step so they never lose their spot, and it presents parallel instructions (“at the same time”) and supporting information (keys, notes, etc) dynamically. knitCompanion brings together the ancient craft of knitting with cutting edge software development. Now with over 100,000 downloads it has become the standard for tracking knitting instructions digitally, and is being used in related fields of fiber arts (crochet, cross stitch), cooking, and “some assembly required” activities.

In 2012, a new series of apps, The Designer Series, was released enabling full multi-media immersive content so that users could tackle a new pattern or skill with all the power of knitCompanion plus expert support provided in full multi-media: written, audible, and video. By partnering with designers like Lucy Neatby, Donna Druchunas, Romi and Cooperative Press, Create2Thrive has created a line of apps that are pattern e-books you can actually knit from. The inclusion of hours of technique video in each app means the knitter can also learn new techniques directly from the designer. Maybe best of all, every pattern in the Designer Series is already setup in knitCompanion and ready to knit.

By bringing a high-tech solution into a low-tech pastime, we at Create2Thrive Inc. are thrilled to have made it possible for thousands of knitters around the world to advance their craft in ways they never thought possible.