Last updated: October 10, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Pattern Swirl (“Pattern Swirl”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, uses and protects your information when you visit patternswirl.com (the “Site”), contact us or buy a digital pattern. By using the Site you agree to the practices described here.
1. Who we are
Pattern Swirl is a crochet blog and digital pattern shop run by Cathrinee. For any privacy question or request, email contact@patternswirl.com.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us
- Contact form: your name, email address and message.
- Comments: your name, email address, website (optional), comment text, and the IP address and browser user agent used to help detect spam.
- Purchases: when you buy a PDF pattern, checkout is handled by a third-party e-commerce provider (such as Gumroad). They collect your name, email and payment details. We receive your name, email and order details, but never your full card details.
- Newsletter (if offered): your email address and first name, only if you choose to subscribe.
Information collected automatically
- Device and browser type, operating system, language, and screen size.
- IP address (which may be shortened/anonymized) and approximate location such as country or city.
- Pages visited, time spent, links clicked and the website that referred you.
- Information stored in cookies and similar technologies — see our Cookie Policy.
3. How we use your information
- To run, maintain, secure and improve the Site.
- To reply to your messages and support requests.
- To publish and moderate comments.
- To deliver digital purchases and handle order questions.
- To understand which content is useful through analytics.
- To show advertising and earn affiliate commissions that keep our patterns free.
- To prevent spam, fraud and abuse, and to comply with legal obligations.
4. Legal bases (EEA/UK visitors)
If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process personal data on these bases: your consent (for example, non-essential cookies and newsletters — you can withdraw it at any time); performance of a contract (delivering a purchase); our legitimate interests (running and securing the Site, answering messages, basic statistics); and legal obligations (such as tax records).
5. Advertising
We may use Google AdSense and other advertising partners to show ads. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this Site or other websites. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this and/or other sites on the internet.
You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings, or opt out of some third-party vendors’ use of cookies by visiting www.aboutads.info. Learn more about how Google uses information from sites that use its services. Visitors in the EEA, UK and Switzerland will be asked for consent before personalized ads are shown.
6. Affiliate links
Pattern Swirl participates in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you click an affiliate link, the retailer may set cookies to track the referral so we can earn a commission. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
7. Analytics
We use Google Analytics (through Google Site Kit) to understand how visitors use the Site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information such as pages visited and time on site. You can prevent this with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on or by declining analytics cookies in our cookie banner.
8. Service providers we share data with
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with trusted providers who help us run the Site, and only as needed:
- Hosting: Hostinger (website hosting and email).
- Security: Wordfence (firewall and malware protection; logs IP addresses to block attacks).
- Performance: LiteSpeed Cache.
- Analytics and advertising: Google (Analytics, AdSense).
- Affiliate partners: Amazon Associates and other retailers we link to.
- E-commerce: our checkout provider (such as Gumroad) and its payment processors.
- Forms and backups: WPForms and UpdraftPlus.
- Comment avatars: Gravatar (Automattic) may receive a hashed version of your email to show your profile picture.
We may also disclose information if required by law, to protect our rights, or as part of a business transfer.
9. Embedded content
Posts may include embedded content such as videos (for example, YouTube) or Pinterest pins. Embedded content behaves as if you visited the other website, and that site may collect data about you, use cookies and track your interaction.
10. How long we keep data
- Contact messages: up to 24 months, then deleted.
- Comments: kept indefinitely so they can be displayed, unless you ask us to remove them.
- Order records: as long as required for tax and accounting purposes.
- Analytics data: according to the retention setting in Google Analytics (14 months by default).
11. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or export your personal data; to object to or restrict processing; and to withdraw consent at any time. Residents of California and other US states may have the right to know what we collect, request deletion, and opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information for targeted advertising. To make a request, email contact@patternswirl.com. We will respond within the time required by law and will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights. You may also complain to your local data protection authority.
12. International transfers
Our service providers may process data in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses.
13. Security
We use HTTPS encryption, a firewall, regular updates and backups to protect the Site. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, but we work hard to protect your information.
14. Children’s privacy
The Site is intended for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has given us personal data, please contact us and we will delete it.
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top shows when it last changed.
16. Contact
Questions about this policy? Email contact@patternswirl.com or use the contact form.