Review: Gooseberry Patch Stitching for the Kitchen

This is a repost of a review I recently published. It was intended to be part of the blog tour for the release of the book, but I kind of jumped the gun and posted it a few weeks early. Whoops! I reposting the review below.

I’ve always known GooseberryPatch for the cookbooks, particularly their cookbooks that show how to make gift mixes and other food-related gifts. But in Stitching for the Kitchen, they show how to make 30 sewn projects for the kitchen.

The book shows a wide variety of sewn projects that you would use in preparation of a meal (e.g., oven mitt, apron) or in the serving of a meal (e.g., bun warmer, table runner) or in organization of a kitchen (e.g., hanging pocket organizer, plastic bag dispenser). Some use embroidery, others patchwork. Some use new materials, others use vintage napkins or recycled sweaters.

The pages are large, with step-by-step instructions and full color photos of finished projects. The book is spiral bound so the pages lie flat, and full size patterns are included in a pocket at the back. (No tracing, no enlarging required!!)

Favorite projects include:

Snack bags with cutouts. These reusable snack bags have cutout windows on the front so you can see what’s inside. Perfect for a lunch bag or snacking on the go.

Mug cozy with pocket. You could sew these up for everyone on your Christmas gift list. Gift it with a mug and a bag of good tea.

Casserole carrier. Just what you need to take a dish to a potluck. Elastic strips on the outside will hold a serving spoon. Insul-Brite between the layers helps keep the food warm and your hands from getting burned. The dimensions they give will create a carrier for a 10” x 16” dish, but you can easily adjust the measurements to fit a different size dish.

Plastic Bag Dispenser. A practical project! We got a similar bag dispenser these years ago as a wedding gift. 16 years later, it still gets daily use. The one we got was pretty basic, but the Gooseberry Patch version is pieced from strips of coordinating fabrics.

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Check out the rest of the Stitching for the Kitchen blog tour here:

July 22 – Gooseberry Patch

July 23 – Momma Young At Home, Craft Gossip

July 24 – Glued to My Crafts, Green Eyed Momma

July 25 – Sew Serendipity

July 26 – Smashed Peas and Carrots, Marsha’s Spot

July 27 – Wild Olive, Only From Scratch

July 28 – Pam Kitty Morning, Blue Nickel Studios

July 29 – Old House Homestead, Susie QT Pies Cafe, Prairie Flower Farm

July 30 – The Crafty Princess Diaries, Gramma’s in the Kitchen, Two Maids A Milking

August 1 – Vicki O’Dell, Homesteader’s Heart

August 2 – A Creative Being, Delightful Country Cookin

Dear Crafty Readers,
“I run my sewing business from home. I don’t have a shopfront. I don’t clock in and out. I just sew in my own space, around my own schedule.
And because of that, people assume I’m endlessly flexible.
When someone needs something urgently, they’ll ask if I can ‘just squeeze it in.’ They’ll message late at night. They’ll explain how important the deadline is to them.
I started charging a rush fee.
And that’s when the pushback began.
‘But you’re already home.’
‘It shouldn’t cost more if you’re not travelling anywhere.’
‘Can’t you just do it this once?’
A few people have acted genuinely offended — like I’m being greedy or unreasonable.
Now I’m second-guessing myself.
Am I the asshole for charging extra for rush orders, even though I work from home?
— Anonymous

If you’ve ever felt awkward adding a rush fee — or tempted to waive it just to avoid tension — you’re not alone.

This question cuts right to the heart of how creative, home-based work is still misunderstood.

Why “Working From Home” Changes How People Treat You

There’s a strange assumption that if you work from home, your time is somehow more flexible — or less valuable.

People often think:

You’re already there
You can just reshuffle things
You’re not “really” inconvenienced

What they don’t see is that home-based work still has:

Schedules
Commitments
Limits
Personal time

Being at home doesn’t mean being on call.

What a Rush Order Actually Costs You

A rush order isn’t just about sewing faster.

It often means:

Dropping other work
Rearranging personal plans
Sewing late into the evening
Working under pressure
Carrying someone else’s urgency

That urgency has a cost — even if it doesn’t show up on a receipt.

“But It’s Just One Item…”

This phrase is another familiar one.

A rush order is rarely just one item. It’s the mental load that comes with:

Watching the clock
Worrying about deadlines
Rushing decisions
Feeling responsible for someone else’s timing mistake

That pressure deserves compensation — not guilt.

Why Rush Fees Feel Uncomfortable to Charge

Many sewists hesitate to add rush fees because:

They don’t want to seem difficult
They fear losing the sale
They worry about appearing greedy

But a rush fee isn’t a punishment. It’s a boundary.

It tells customers: This is possible, but it costs more because it costs me more.

The Double Standard Around Creative Work

Interestingly, rush fees are widely accepted in other industries.

People expect to pay more for:

Express shipping
Same-day services
Last-minute bookings

But when it comes to handmade or creative work, that logic often disappears — especially when the work happens at home.

That double standard puts unnecessary pressure on makers.

When Waiving Rush Fees Backfires

Many sellers learn this the hard way.

When you don’t charge extra for urgency:

Rush orders become expected
Boundaries blur quickly
Stress increases
Resentment builds

What starts as flexibility can quietly turn into burnout.

Is Charging Extra Unfair — or Honest?

This is where opinions really split.

Some readers will say:

“A rush fee is completely reasonable.”

Others might argue:

“If you can do it, why charge more?”

And a few will admit:

“I never thought about the impact of urgency.”

All of those perspectives exist — and they’re worth hearing.

So… Are They the Asshole?

There’s no universal answer here.

But there is an important question underneath it all:

Should working from home mean giving up control over your time?

For many sewists, the answer is a firm no.

Over to You, Crafty Readers

Now it’s your turn — and this one tends to spark strong opinions.

Do you charge rush fees?
Have you ever felt guilty enforcing them?
As a buyer, would you expect to pay more for urgency?
Or do you think rush fees are unnecessary?

Scroll down and join the discussion.
This is one of those topics where lived experience really matters.

(And if you’ve got a sewing dilemma of your own, you can submit it anonymously to Sewing.CraftGossip — sometimes the hardest part is asking the question.)

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