1. Introduction

Welcome to Clara Makes (accessible at https://claramakes.com). At Clara Makes (“we”, “us”, or “our”), safeguarding the privacy of our crafters, readers, and visitors is of paramount importance. This Privacy Policy describes the types of information we collect when you visit our website, how we use and protect that information, and your legal rights under applicable privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA).

2. Information We Collect

We collect information in two main ways: directly when you provide it to us, and automatically as you navigate through our site.

A. Information You Voluntarily Provide

• Newsletter Subscriptions: When you subscribe to receive free patterns, printable PDFs, or stitch guides, we collect your email address and, optionally, your first name.
• Comments on Tutorials & Patterns: When you leave a comment on our blog posts or stitch guides, we collect the name you submit, your email address, and the content of your comment.
• Contact Inquiries: When you reach out via our contact form or direct email, we collect your name, email address, and any details included in your message.

B. Automatically Collected Data & Cookies

• Device & Usage Information: We automatically collect standard server log data, including your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, and timestamps.
• Cookies & Local Storage: Small text files placed on your device to remember user preferences, ensure site security, analyze site usage, and track affiliate interactions.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the data collected strictly for legitimate craft publication and business purposes, including:

• Delivering free crochet patterns, tutorials, and craft newsletters you requested.
• Responding promptly to pattern questions, feedback, and customer support requests.
• Optimizing our website design, layout, and tutorial instructions based on visitor analytics.
• Preventing fraudulent activity, malicious bot traffic, and comment spam.
• Complying with applicable legal, accounting, and regulatory obligations.

4. Cookies & Third-Party Technologies

Clara Makes utilizes first-party and third-party cookies for the following functions:

• Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for standard website navigation, caching, and Cloudflare security features.
• Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics): Anonymized metrics on which patterns are most popular, session durations, and user flow. IP addresses are anonymized.
• Affiliate Cookies: When you click on links to recommended yarn, crochet hooks, books, or craft tools (such as Amazon Associates or specialty yarn retailers), an affiliate tracking cookie is placed on your device. These cookies have variable lifespans (typically 24 hours to 30 days) to track qualifying purchases. They do not store sensitive personal information.
• Advertising Cookies: When display advertisements are presented, trusted ad networks (such as Google AdSense or premium publishing partners) may use cookies to serve relevant, non-intrusive advertisements.

You can adjust your browser settings to decline cookies or notify you when cookies are being set. Note that certain interactive features of the website may require cookies to function smoothly.

5. Third-Party Service Providers

We may share limited data with reputable third-party service providers who assist us in operating our craft platform:

• Email Delivery: Professional email marketing providers who adhere to rigorous data protection standards to manage our subscriber lists.
• Web Hosting & Security: Secure cloud servers, CDN, and firewall providers (Cloudflare).
• Spam Protection: Automated spam filtration tools for blog post comments.

7. California Consumer Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA)

If you are a California resident, under the California Consumer Privacy Act you have the right to request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected, request deletion of your information, and be free from discrimination for exercising these rights.

Notice of Non-Sale: Clara Makes does not sell personal information for monetary value.

8. Children’s Online Privacy (COPPA)

Clara Makes is committed to protecting the privacy of young crafters. Our website and free crochet patterns are intended for general craft enthusiasts of all ages, but we do not knowingly solicit or collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you believe that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately, and we will promptly remove the information from our records.

9. Data Retention & Security

We employ SSL encryption (HTTPS) across all pages of Clara Makes. We retain subscriber data only as long as you choose to remain subscribed to our patterns and newsletters. Comment data is retained indefinitely to maintain comment thread continuity unless removal is requested.

10. Updates to This Policy

We may periodically update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our crafting offerings, third-party services, or relevant legislation. Any revisions will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” timestamp.