Privacy Policy

This policy explains what information Crochet Explained (https://crochetexplained.com) collects, why, and what you can do about it. It applies to this website only.

The short version

• You can read every page here without giving me anything.
• I do not sell personal information, and I never will.
• Advertising and analytics on this site are provided by third parties that set their own cookies. Those are described below, along with how to turn them off.

Information collected automatically

Like almost every website, this one and the services it uses record technical details when you visit: your IP address, browser and device type, operating system, the pages you viewed, how long you stayed, and the page that referred you. This is used to understand which articles are useful and to keep the site working. It is not used to identify you personally.

Information you give me

If you email the address on the contact page, I receive your address and whatever you write. I keep it only as long as needed to reply and to keep a record of corrections, and I do not add it to any mailing list without you asking.

Cookies

A cookie is a small file a website stores in your browser. This site uses them for three purposes: keeping the site functioning, understanding aggregate traffic, and serving advertising. You can delete or block cookies at any time in your browser settings. Blocking them will not stop you reading anything here.

Your course progress

If you read the guided course, this site remembers which steps you have opened so it can show you where to pick up next. That record is a short list of page names kept in your own browser's local storage. It is not a cookie, it is never sent to me or to anyone else, and it is not linked to any account, because there are no accounts here.

It stays on the device you used, so it will not follow you to your phone. To erase it, use the "Forget my progress" link on the course card, or clear this site's data in your browser. If your browser blocks local storage, nothing is stored and every page still works normally.

Advertising

This site displays advertising served by Google, which uses cookies to show ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites.

• Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to this site and other sites on the internet.
• You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
• You can opt out of personalized advertising from many other vendors at aboutads.info and optout.networkadvertising.org.
• Third-party vendors and ad networks other than Google may also serve ads here and may use their own cookies to measure the effectiveness of those ads.

How Google handles data from sites that use its services is described in Google's partner sites policy.

Analytics

This site uses Google Analytics to measure traffic in aggregate — which pages get read, on what kind of device, from which country. IP addresses are anonymized. You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting data with the official browser opt-out add-on.

If you are in the EEA, the UK, or Switzerland

Where the GDPR applies, the lawful basis for analytics and personalized advertising is your consent, collected through the consent banner shown on your first visit, and you may withdraw it at any time using that same banner. Strictly necessary processing relies on legitimate interest. You have the right to request access to your personal data, correction, erasure, restriction, portability, and to object to processing. Write to the address on the contact page to exercise any of these.

If you are in California

Under the CCPA and CPRA you have the right to know what personal information is collected, to request its deletion, to correct it, and to opt out of its sale or sharing. Crochet Explained does not sell personal information. To opt out of personalized advertising, use the Google Ads Settings link above or the consent banner. Requests go to the contact address and will not result in any different level of service.

Children

This site is written for adults and is not directed at children under 13. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided information here, email me and it will be deleted.

External links

Articles here link out to pattern designers, retailers, and reference sources. Once you follow a link you are on someone else's site under their privacy policy, not this one.

Changes

If this policy changes, the date at the top changes with it. Material changes will be noted on the home page.

Contact

Questions about this policy, and any request to exercise the rights above, go through the contact page.