Creating electronic charts?

[kaberett]

I've a pattern I'd like to chart up and put online, but I'm balking at the idea of using a spreadsheet package to chart. I could use graph paper and scan, but that would be a bit grimy, probably; if you use charting software, can you tell me what your favourites are?

And relatedly, question two: when making charts, should the aspect ratio of the boxes be the same as the aspect ratio of the stitches, or not?

Thanks! :-)

Comments

[astro_noms]

I can't speak to software, because I don't really design charts, but fwiw, I think the aspect ratio of the boxes works best when it's 1:1, because then the chart is the easiest to read - I've made stuff with charts with narrow boxes, and it was kinda hard on the eyes.

[kaberett]

Thank you for the input!

[jenett]

I'm currently using a spreadsheet (GDocs, in my case) for charting needs. One of the things that makes it tolerable for me (besides the fact I have a lot of control over various things) is that I use conditional formatting to make the colors on the chart.

(In my case - I'm doing double knitting patterns for a blanket that has some squares using or modified from other people's charts, and some stuff I have to chart myself. And I set up some easy character (a period, usually) for one colour, and another (say, a comma) for the other, and then I set the conditional formatting to colour code the colours I want the square to be, and make the design work.

I like it because it's pretty trivial to check that the design works with the reverse colours (again, double knitting), just by changing the colours on the conditional format.

I format mine as squares, rather than fussing with the aspect ratio of the stitches, but I'm also generally not doing designs where it's a huge issue.

[kaberett]

... thank you, this is really cunning :-) Will look into it!

[thistleingrey]

Have you considered http://stitch-maps.com/about/accounts/#basic-subscription ? (No affiliation.)

[kaberett]

Wasn't aware of it! Thanks for the heads-up :-)

[neotoma]

I use Stitch and Motif Maker which I've found to be extremely useful and robust.