From Canvas to Mobile, Taking Needle Point Stitches into Unfamiliar Territory

Many people believe that technology and the craft world do not go hand-in-hand, but they couldn’t be more wrong. In the advent of so many forms of technology, there are more ways than ever to talk about, purchase, share and do all things creative. Amadeus Consulting, being a team of exceptionally creative people, was extremely excited to see a rise in an unusual trend for our company: needlepoint iPhone™ applications.

Because these two domains are not normally associated with one another, pioneers definitely exist bringing these disparate worlds together. By bringing hobbies into non-traditional and updated formats these pioneers are making life easier, more interactive, more accessible and fun for crafters everywhere. In the needlepoint world, two of these people are SuZy Murphy and Ruth Schmuff.

SuZy Murphy is a well renowned author and teacher of needlepoint. She has written six books on needlepoint stitches including: SuZy’s Lite Stitches, SuZy’s Darn Stitches and SuZy’s Portable Stitches and was looking to assist her current audience by developing a version of one of her books for the iPhone.

The idea for her iPhone application, SuZy’s Stitches came when she realized her book, Portable Stitches, could take on a whole new meaning with the help of mobile phones. SuZy Murphy wanted to capture the information from her Portable Stitches book in a fun, simple and interactive way for the iPhone. This project was SuZy’s first foray into iPhone applications.

Our graphics team created a large amount of image files in the application and made the stitch examples easy to utilize. Amadeus Consulting also created a unique randomization feature for generating useful tips and quips that pop-up depending on what type of stitch the user is researching. After being approved on Dec. 15 by the Apple® App Store her app has received glowing reviews and sold hundreds of applications.

On the success of her application Suzy Murphy said, “Amadeus Consulting made the process of turning my book into an iPhone app a truly enjoyable experience. I felt very comfortable knowing that the team would take the project from start to finish. They took the time to listen to my needs and in turn produced an exemplary product. I am very pleased with the outcome and how well it has been received on the App Store.”

Our team was enthused by the success of SuZy’s iPhone app, and jumped at the chance to develop a different type of needlepoint application for Ruth Schmuff. As a serial entrepreneur, Ruth Schmuff must always be on the go. Whether she is at her store, Bedecked and Beadazzled that sells needlepoint supplies, writing another book (iStitches Vol. 1 & 2), blogging on “Not your Grandmother’s Needlepoint”, Twittering or running her community forum, Stitcherie, she is always bringing the good word and craftiness of needlepoint to the world.

On being a techie-needlepointer, Ruth said, “Because my background is in graphic arts, it has always allowed me to stay on top of technology and recognize new opportunities for bringing the two [technology and design] together. It fuels my passion for needlepoint when I can introduce audiences in a new medium.”

The idea behind bringing her needlepoint stitches to the iPhone started when Ruth saw the potential to give tech-savvy needlepoint enthusiasts a way to bring their stitches with them on planes, in cars or on a lunch break without the bulk of books.

She approached Amadeus Consulting to develop her first iPhone application, iStitches Volume One that features over 300 needlepoint stitches with needlepoint diagrams presented alphabetically and by stitch type. Need to look up your Brighton Stitch? Check out the pattern on iStitches, accessible anywhere. Incorporating that many images into an iPhone application is no easy feat, as they have strict size limits. But Amadeus Consulting was up to the challenge, and the iPhone application is now available through the Apple App Store – simply search for iStitches.

Due to its superior functionality, iStitches has seen tremendous success in the Apple App store and with iPhone needlepoint enthusiasts all over the world. Plus it’s just fun. The next version of iStitches will be available for the Android platform.

As people come up with new gadgets and devices and new forums, rest assured that SuZy Murphy and Ruth Schmuff will be leveraging them. Amadeus Consulting’s team looks forward to future creative partnerships with artists and crafters to bring more interactive and functional mobile applications to the world through technology.