Privacy Policy

Your trust matters to us here at The Crafty Wren, and this Privacy Policy explains exactly what personal data we collect when you visit our site, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have over it. We know a lot of you are here for stitch tutorials and free patterns, not legal reading, so we have tried to keep this as plain and honest as possible. If anything is unclear after reading it, reach out any time at [email protected].

What Information We Collect

We collect data in a few limited ways, and we only ever collect what we genuinely need to run the site and help you find better crochet patterns.

Contact Form Submissions

When you use our Contact page to ask a question, report a broken pattern link, or suggest a project idea, we collect your name, email address, and whatever message you send us. This information is used solely to respond to you and is never added to a marketing list without your explicit consent.

Comments

If you leave a comment on a pattern post — say, to tell us how your Striped One Row Repeat Blanket turned out — we collect the name, email address, and website (if provided) you enter in the comment form, along with your comment text and the date it was posted. Your email address is never displayed publicly.

Technical and Analytics Data

Like most websites, we automatically collect certain technical information when you browse, including your IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and time spent on the site. We use this aggregated, largely anonymous data to understand which tutorials are helpful and where our site needs improvement.

Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies for analytics, remembering your preferences, and displaying relevant advertising. Full details on the types of cookies used, their purposes, and how to manage them are available in our separate Cookie Policy.

Why We Collect This Data (Legal Basis)

For visitors located in the European Union or United Kingdom, we process personal data under the following legal bases recognized by the GDPR:

• Consent — for optional cookies, newsletter sign-ups, and comment submissions.
• Legitimate interest — for basic analytics that help us improve pattern content and site performance.
• Contractual necessity — for responding to inquiries you send through our contact form.
• Legal obligation — in rare cases where we must retain or disclose data to comply with the law.

How We Use Your Information

We use collected data to operate and improve The Crafty Wren, respond to your questions, moderate comments in line with our Community Guidelines, understand which amigurumi and blanket patterns are most popular, and occasionally display advertising that helps keep our free patterns free. We never use your personal data to make automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.

Sharing With Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information — ever. We do work with a small number of trusted service providers who help us run the site, such as web hosting companies, analytics providers, comment moderation tools, and advertising networks. These providers only receive the minimum data necessary to perform their function and are contractually required to protect it. Some of these partnerships, including any affiliate or sponsored relationships, are outlined further in our Disclosure and Affiliate Disclaimer pages.

Data Retention

We keep contact form messages only as long as needed to resolve your inquiry, typically no more than 24 months. Comments remain attached to the relevant pattern post indefinitely unless you request removal, since they add value for other readers. Analytics data is generally retained in aggregated form and is not tied to identifiable individuals long-term.

Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational precautions to protect your data, including secure hosting, restricted access to stored information, and regular software updates. That said, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Request access to the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to or restrict certain processing
• Request a copy of your data in a portable format
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

To exercise any of these rights, simply email us at [email protected] with your request, and we will respond within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days.

Children's Privacy

The Crafty Wren is intended for a general adult audience interested in crochet patterns and techniques. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or the relevant age of digital consent in your country). If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can delete it promptly.

Related Policies

This Privacy Policy works alongside our other site policies to give you a complete picture of how The Crafty Wren operates. You may also want to review our Terms of Use for the rules of using this site, our Editorial Policy for how we create and test patterns, and our Disclaimer regarding craft instructions and safety. For more about who we are, visit our About Us page.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised date, and continued use of the site after changes means you accept the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please do not hesitate to reach out at [email protected] or through our Contact page. We are happy to help.