36I want to take notes while knitting

Jot notes, write down what you decided, draw on the PDF, and pin the bits you keep looking up

The Smart Pattern Reader keeps your notes, your decisions and your reference pictures beside the PDF. No more hunting back through pages for a number you settled on weeks ago.

Before you start
See it in action
1
Where the notes live
Notes section in the sidebar showing tabs for PDF, Freehand, Public Notes, and Private Notes

Notes sit in tabs. PDF notes are stuck to a place on the page. Freehand is for drawing on the pattern. Public and Private notes go to your Ravelry project. Tap "Add Pattern Note" for a note card that stays with your pattern file.

2
A note stuck to one spot
Pattern note card attached to the PDF with text content

A PDF note attaches to one area of the page. Draw a box around it, type the note, and the note stays there. Good for a correction, a reminder, or a few words on a part that reads badly.

3
Draw on it (Full mode)
Freehand drawing on a pattern PDF with a heart drawn in red ink and the drawing toolbar visible

Draw straight on the pattern with a finger or a stylus. Circle the repeat for your size, cross out rows you have done, underline the numbers that matter. Start in the Notes section of the Dashboard: open its Freehand tab, tap Add Freehand Note, then pick a colour and a pen size. What you draw is saved page by page.

4
Who else can read it
Public Notes tab showing dated note entries and a Ravelry note with yarn photo

Public Notes appear on your Ravelry project page. That is the place for a change you made or a correction other knitters would want. Private Notes are yours alone, which is where the measurements for a surprise present belong.

5
Write down what you decided
Design Choices section showing a 'size' choice set to 'small' with an Add Choice button

Design Choices holds each decision as a label and an answer. "Size: 40 inch chest." "Sleeves: three-quarter length." Then, when the pattern says "work 12 (14, 16, 18, 20) stitches", you look here to see which number is yours.

Tip: Put your gauge swatch numbers here too. If you have to work something out again halfway through, they are already written down.
6
Pin the bit you keep flipping back to (Full mode)
Pattern Snapshots section with saved chart region and pattern text snapshots

In the Dashboard's Pattern Snapshots section, tap Add Pattern Snapshot and draw a box around the part of the page you want. Take the chart legend, the schematic or the abbreviations list, and it stays pinned in the sidebar. No more jumping between pages.

Available on iPhone, iPad, Android, and web at app.stash2go.com

Pattern PDFs and the Smart Reader · 10 of 11 · Last updated 29 Aug 2026