Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Review: Floss Tracker Apps

My name is Stacy and I'm a geek.  No, there is no cure.  But it's okay, I'm a geek that cross stitches!

Here's a combination of my stitching and geekiness:  apps that inventory floss!

This review is for Thread Tracker 117 (app version) and XStitcher for the iPad.  I do own both.

Thread Tracker 117 covers all the DMC solid color floss (including B5200) and the original variegateds. 

Positives: 
  • In the variegateds, it lists #57 which is not listed on the current DMC color card but is an actual color.
  • Lets you choose:  Don't Own, Do Own, On Bobbin or Need to Buy.  You can also specify how many. 
  • The filter options let you turn on/off each of the previous choices so that you can see, for instance, which flosses you have on bobbins. 
  • There is a Search Option which allows you to search by floss number.

Neutral:  Thread Tracker only works in landscape mode.

Negatives: 
  • If you Own 1 skein of white, have 1 On Bobbins, yet need to buy 1 more, you can't specify that.  You either have to list that you Own 2 -or- have 1 On Bobbins -or- Need to Buy 1; you can't differentiate. 
  • All the floss is sorted by number in one long list starting with #48 and ending with White.



XStitcher covers all the DMC solid colors (including B5200), original variegated, colour variations, light effects and satin floss.

Positives: 
  • Covers the different kinds of floss.
  • Lists numbers 57, 61, 62, 75, 91, 95, 101, 102, 103, 104, 108, 112, 114, 116, 123 and 126 in the variegateds which do not appear in the current DMC color card.  I know that I own most of these.
  • Floss is listed in small groups for ease of organization.  The sections are:  Ecru - 434 • 435-729 • 730-898 • 899-3045 • 3046-3810 • 3811-End • Colour Variations • Light Effects • Regular variegated colors • Satin Floss
  • Has a shopping cart feature.  Even if you own several skeins of a color, you can click on a shopping cart icon for that color to add it to a shopping list.
  • Has a Matcher option.  You can search for floss by the color name.  Also has an Anchor to DMC conversion.
  • The My Stash option lets you view either all the flosses or just those you own.
  • Update to the review: specialty threads now include Anchor, Gentle Art Sampler Threads (GAST) and Week's Dye Works (WDW).
Neutral: 
  • Works only in portrait mode.
  • Has a Project Manager option

Negatives:
  • If you tap on the quantity for a floss, it automatically erases whatever number was there.
  • If you edit the quantity on a floss while in the Project Manager, it alters it your total inventory.

I started out using Thread Tracker and during a backup of my iPad, lost all my data.  Note:  this is NOT a Thread Tracker flaw.  I was on the App store looking for something to inventory all my patterns and magazines when I stumbled across XStitcher.  Between the two apps, Xstitcher is the one that I am using.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy.

3 comments:

mdgtjulie said...

I would totally love to be organized enough to use a thread tracker, but I'm not very good at updating things. I would put everything in it, then not touch it for six months, lol. Thanks for the reviews though!!

Stacy C. said...

Julie, I've been stitching for 30+ years and it took me this long to get my floss organized!

OctoberLace said...

Nice blog updates, Stacey! I tend to log my stuff on Excel so I can sort and print what I need, but the Apps look like they may be useful, too. Theresa