Community Guidelines

Pin and Pine started as a small collection of crochet and amigurumi patterns shared between people who genuinely love making things with their hands, and it has grown into a place where readers swap tips, show off their finished puppies and elephants, and cheer each other on. These Community Guidelines explain what we expect from anyone who comments, shares, or otherwise interacts with us — so the space stays friendly, useful, and safe for everyone, from first-time hookers to seasoned makers.

Our Simple Rule: Be Kind, Be Real

Most of what follows boils down to one idea: treat other crafters the way you would want to be treated in a cozy craft circle. Ask questions, share your yarn substitutions, post your fails alongside your wins — that is exactly what this community is for. We only ask that you keep the tone respectful, even when you disagree about gauge, stuffing techniques, or whether acrylic or wool makes a better amigurumi.

Respectful Participation

We welcome comments from crocheters of every skill level, background, and opinion. To keep discussions productive, please:

• Stay on topic and relevant to the pattern, tutorial, or project being discussed.
• Give constructive feedback rather than blunt criticism — remember a real person made that wonky octopus tentacle.
• Assume good intent. Most questions here come from people genuinely stuck on a stitch, not looking for an argument.
• Use normal, readable language rather than all caps, excessive punctuation, or aggressive tone.

No Harassment, Hate, or Bullying

We have zero tolerance for harassment, hate speech, personal attacks, threats, or discriminatory comments based on race, gender, religion, disability, age, or any other personal characteristic. This applies to comments directed at our team, at guest contributors, and at fellow readers. Comments that mock someone's skill level, appearance, or beginner mistakes will be removed. Disagreements about craft methods are fine; personal attacks are not.

No Spam or Deceptive Promotion

We love when readers share their own projects, but comments are not the place for unrelated advertising. Please avoid:

• Posting links to unrelated shops, surveys, or download sites.
• Repeatedly promoting your own store, pattern shop, or social page in every comment thread.
• Fake reviews, bot-generated comments, or misleading claims about products, discounts, or giveaways.
• Impersonating Pin and Pine staff, other commenters, or brands.

If you run a small craft business or want to propose an honest partnership, we would genuinely love to hear from you — just reach out properly through our Collaboration page instead of dropping links in the comments.

Safety and Legality in Craft Discussions

Crochet and amigurumi are generally low-risk hobbies, but a few safety points matter, especially when small parts, stuffing, or embellishments are involved for toys meant for children or pets. When commenting or asking questions, please keep in mind:

• Small plastic eyes, buttons, and beads can be choking hazards — always mention age-appropriateness when discussing amigurumi for babies or toddlers.
• Do not share advice that encourages unsafe use of materials, tools, or chemicals (like flammable stuffing or toxic dyes) without a clear safety caveat.
• Respect copyright: do not repost someone else's original pattern text, photos, or paid tutorial content in the comments without permission.
• Keep any shared links legal and appropriate — no pirated pattern PDFs, counterfeit goods, or content that violates someone else's intellectual property.

For more on how we handle sourcing, accuracy, and pattern testing on the site itself, see our Editorial Policy, and for the broader legal terms that apply to using this site, check our Terms of Use.

Moderation Policy

Comments are reviewed by our team, and we reserve the right to edit, hide, or remove any content that violates these guidelines, without prior notice. This includes:

• Comments containing harassment, hate speech, or threats.
• Spam, scam links, or deceptive promotional content.
• Off-topic content that derails a discussion.
• Content that infringes on someone else's copyright or privacy.

Repeated violations may result in a reader being permanently blocked from commenting. We do not moderate based on differing opinions about patterns, yarn brands, or crafting techniques — only on behavior that breaks these rules. Our approach to data collected through comments and forms is explained in our Privacy Policy.

How to Report a Concern

If you spot a comment that feels harassing, spammy, unsafe, or otherwise against these guidelines, please do not engage or argue with it directly. Instead, let us know so we can review it properly. You can reach our team at [email protected] with a short description of the comment, the post it appeared on, and, if possible, a screenshot. We read every report and aim to respond within a few business days.

You are also welcome to use our Contact page for any general questions about how the community works, and our Disclaimer outlines the limits of the advice shared across the site, including in comments.

Why These Guidelines Exist

Crafting is personal — every wonky stitch, mismatched color, and stuffed-too-tight amigurumi head represents someone's time and care. Our goal with these guidelines is simply to protect that spirit, so new crocheters feel comfortable asking beginner questions and experienced makers keep coming back to share what they know. Thank you for being part of the Pin and Pine community and for helping keep it warm, welcoming, and a little bit obsessed with tiny crochet elephants — just like the rest of us.