Disclosure

Pin and Pine is a small, independent craft blog built around crochet patterns, amigurumi tutorials, rustic DIY projects, and home decor ideas. We believe readers deserve to know exactly how this site works behind the scenes — what pays the bills, how content gets made, and where we draw the line between honest recommendations and paid promotion. This page lays it all out plainly.

Why This Page Exists

Running a craft site involves real costs: yarn, stuffing, hooks, hosting, photography equipment, and countless hours spent testing patterns before they ever reach the blog. To keep publishing free tutorials like our puppy amigurumi pattern or the daisy meadow blanket squares, we use a mix of advertising, affiliate links, and occasional brand partnerships. This disclosure explains each of those, in line with FTC guidelines and general best practices for transparency online.

Editorial Independence Comes First

No advertiser, affiliate partner, or brand ever tells us what to write, how to rate a product, or which patterns to feature. Every recommendation on this site reflects what we actually think after testing a hook, a yarn brand, or a stuffing material ourselves. If a product disappoints us, we say so — or we simply don't feature it. You can read more about how we research, test, and fact-check our projects on our Editorial Policy page, and learn more about who is behind this site on our About Us page.

Affiliate Links and Commissions

Some links on Pin and Pine — for example, links to yarn, hooks, stuffing, or craft tools we mention in a pattern — are affiliate links. This means that if you click through and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission from the retailer. This comes at absolutely no extra cost to you; the price you pay stays exactly the same whether you use our link or go directly to the store.

We only link to products we've genuinely used or would confidently recommend to a fellow crafter. We do not add affiliate links just to fill space, and we never let a commission opportunity influence whether we recommend something. For the full breakdown of how these relationships work, please see our dedicated Affiliate Disclaimer.

Sponsored Content and Paid Posts

Occasionally, a yarn company, craft supply brand, or tool maker may sponsor a post or provide compensation for a feature. Whenever this happens, we clearly label the content as sponsored, either at the top of the post or within the introduction, so there's no confusion about how it came to be published. Sponsored posts still go through the same testing and editorial process as everything else — a paid partnership does not buy a positive review, only a guaranteed feature.

Gifts and PR Samples

Brands sometimes send us free products — a new crochet hook, a batch of premium yarn, or stuffing samples — hoping we'll try them out and mention them. When we receive a gifted item and choose to write about it, we disclose that fact within the post itself. Receiving a free product never guarantees a positive mention. If a gifted hook snags yarn or a stuffing material clumps unevenly, we'll mention that too, because our first responsibility is to readers, not to the brands sending us packages.

Our Honest Opinion, Always

Whether a product was purchased with our own money, sent as a gift, or linked through an affiliate program, our opinion is our own. We test patterns multiple times before publishing, we photograph our actual finished projects, and we describe difficulty levels honestly — including when a pattern that looks simple (like a mini amigurumi octopus) actually requires patience with small details. If something didn't work well for us, you'll hear about it.

Brand Collaborations

We occasionally work directly with yarn companies, craft tool brands, and small makers on collaborative projects, giveaways, or featured tutorials. If you represent a brand interested in working with us, details on how we approach these partnerships are outlined on our Collaboration page. Any resulting content follows the same disclosure standards described here.

How This Fits With Our Other Policies

This Disclosure page works alongside several other policies that govern how Pin and Pine operates. Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal data, our Cookie Policy covers tracking technologies used for analytics and advertising, and our Terms of Use outline the rules for using our content and patterns. If you're looking for general limitations on our craft advice — such as safety notes around small parts in amigurumi meant for children — check our Disclaimer page.

Questions About Our Disclosures

Transparency only works if it's actually clear, so if anything on this page feels vague or you have a specific question about a post, a partnership, or a link you noticed, please reach out. You can contact us anytime at [email protected], and we'll answer directly and honestly. We'd rather over-explain a relationship than leave you guessing.