diff --git a/keywords.txt b/keywords.txt
index 5e58a66..a808a39 100644
--- a/keywords.txt
+++ b/keywords.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Stepper	KEYWORD1	Stepper
 
 step	KEYWORD2
 setSpeed	KEYWORD2
+idle  KEYWORD2
 version	KEYWORD2
 
 ######################################
diff --git a/src/Stepper.cpp b/src/Stepper.cpp
index 1f76295..a1b9883 100644
--- a/src/Stepper.cpp
+++ b/src/Stepper.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Stepper.cpp - Stepper library for Wiring/Arduino - Version 1.1.0
+ * Stepper.cpp - Stepper library for Wiring/Arduino - Version 1.1.1
  *
  * Original library        (0.1)   by Tom Igoe.
  * Two-wire modifications  (0.2)   by Sebastian Gassner
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  * High-speed stepping mod         by Eugene Kozlenko
  * Timer rollover fix              by Eugene Kozlenko
  * Five phase five wire    (1.1.0) by Ryan Orendorff
+ * add idle method         (1.1.1) by Darren Clark
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
@@ -356,10 +357,33 @@ void Stepper::stepMotor(int thisStep)
   }
 }
 
+/*
+  idle() power down the pins (may lose count):
+*/
+void Stepper::idle(void) {
+  if (this->pin_count == 2) {
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_1, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_2, LOW);
+  }
+  if (this->pin_count == 4) {
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_1, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_2, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_3, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_4, LOW);
+  }
+  if (this->pin_count == 5) {
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_1, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_2, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_3, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_4, LOW);
+    digitalWrite(motor_pin_5, LOW);
+  }
+}
+
 /*
   version() returns the version of the library:
 */
 int Stepper::version(void)
 {
-  return 5;
+  return 6;
 }
diff --git a/src/Stepper.h b/src/Stepper.h
index 2e68979..42b098a 100644
--- a/src/Stepper.h
+++ b/src/Stepper.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  * High-speed stepping mod         by Eugene Kozlenko
  * Timer rollover fix              by Eugene Kozlenko
  * Five phase five wire    (1.1.0) by Ryan Orendorff
+ * add idle method         (1.1.1) by Darren Clark
  *
  * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
  * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
@@ -95,6 +96,9 @@ class Stepper {
 
     // mover method:
     void step(int number_of_steps);
+  
+    // idle method:
+    void idle(void);
 
     int version(void);