Our Next Sew In August 2026
Watch for details in our Infoblast and newsletter on how you can participate.
August 2025 Community Service Sew-in
​Learn More About Each Service Group...​​​
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​​​​​DUFFLE BAGS and MORE​
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About us: This group is a 501C3 organization that creates duffle bags and toiletry bags for children in foster care. It is funded from grants, donations, and fundraising events. Ocean Waves will be helping to promote the program through publicity and participation, coordinated by Mary Shepherd. The project will be self-sustaining on our budget line. Mary’s group meets once a month at the Village of Five Points Community Center to sew the bags. All supplies, including sewing machines and sergers, are provided. For more details, contact Mary Shepherd, mtshepherd@mindspring.com or www.dufflebagsandmore.org .
Activities: Our next sew-in is Monday, May 18th, 9-12, at the community center in the Villages of Five Points. Come and cut, sew, serge, or any of our other activities.
Our work parties are on the third Monday of most months, from 9-12 at the Villages of Five Points Community Center in Lewes.
GUILD CONTACT: Mary Shepherd
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PATRIOTIC QUILTS
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About us:
This service project group organizes and leads productions of patriotic themed quilts to be donated to the Quilts of Valor Foundation. (qovf.org) “The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing QOV.” The procedures for making these quilts are specific. Check the newsletter and announcements at guild meetings for scheduled Sew-Ins and drop-offs.
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** Patriotic Quilts is looking for volunteers to quilt one or more quilts for Quilts of Valor. If you can help, please contact Kathy Varga. kvarga07866@gmail.com.
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Activities:
Our guild donated another 6 patriotic quilts this month. Several of these will be awarded during Operations Seas the Day in Bethany Beach this September. This event honors wounded veterans with a week-long beach vacation for them and their families. Some of our quilts will be awarded to Air Force Mortuary Affairs personnel and honor guards who conduct dignified transfers at Dover Air Force Base. Thank you for using your talents in support of our veterans!
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*Patriotic Quilts is an Ocean Waves only group, with all materials and labor provided by our members. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who has participated in this wonderful effort!
*For your summer sewing pleasure... plenty of Floating Star block kits are available in fresh new fabrics at the Community Service table. Take as many as you like, to sew on retreat or vacation. If your Bee or group would like to make something special, see Kathy Varga or Rita McConnell for help with patterns, ideas and fabric.
Donations needed: Fabric - Red, white, blue solids or tone-on-tone fabrics are greatly appreciated - fat quarters, strips 8” or longer, yardage
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GUILD CONTACT: Rita McConnell
HEART PILLOWS
About us:
Pillows are given to patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Kits, assembled and ready to be sewn, are available at the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild monthly meetings.
The pillows are donated to the following organizations: Cancer Support Community of Delaware
Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition
Beebe Healthcare - Tunnel Cancer Center
Beebe Rehab
Dr. Spellman's office
Nanticoke Memorial Hospital - Allen Cancer Center
Activities:
We delivered 12 heart pillows to the Beebe Cancer program in January. Carol Fisher
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Donations needed: No fabric needed for now.
GUILD CONTACT: Carol Fisher
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TINY TOTS - Baby Items
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About us:
Tiny Tots was started in February, 2010 with 12 ladies from St. Ann’s Bazaar Workshop. Today it has 50 members and is still growing. Tiny Tots makes quilts, hats, blanket and sweater sets, teddy bears, nursing covers, and exercise mats for the Rosa Health Center in Georgetown, DE. To date, over 4,000 quilts, 500 blanket and sweater sets, 2,000 teddy bears, and 200 exercise mats have been made.
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The Rosa Health Center takes care of infants thru adults. The Center is absolutely free to whoever cannot afford medical help. Dr. Rama Peri runs the Center.
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Tiny Tots also donates items to St. Vincent de Paul.
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Tiny Tots meets at St. Ann’s Church, Delaney Hall, in Bethany Beach on the 4th Tuesday of each month (except December, July, and August) from 9AM to 1 PM. It is supported by St. Ann’s Parish, Bethany Beach, DE, and Ocean Waves Quilt Guild.
All of the fabric and yarn used to make these items is donated.
Activities:
The following items were donated in April:
*Rosa Health Center: 11 exercise mats, 19 handmade sweater sets, 10 bears, 11 infant shoes, clothes, hats, 2 blood pressure kits, 1 box of diapers.
*St. Vincent De Paul: 17 small afghans, 19 large afghans, 4 dresses, 30 handmade sweater sets.
​Donations needed: We are in need of worsted weight yarn and fiberfill stuffing. Fabric - Yarn, Baby Flannel and fleece, Adult fabrics
GUILD CONTACT: Mary Martinez
Memory Bears
Sue Brittingham would like to have sewers to make 1 or 2 Memory Bears a year. The pattern, and all fabric & stuffing is provided. Thanks to all who signed up at our last guild meeting. If anyone else is interested, Please contact Sue. Suebritt33@gmail.com
COMFORT QUILTS,
formerly BABY WRAPS
About us:
Our group started in 2017 with five women. Now we have 19 members who meet once a week at Heritage Shores Community Center in Bridgeville. We originally made quilts for newborns at Nanticoke Hospital, but in the last year, we have reached out to other charities who use our services. We changed our name from Baby Wraps to better reflect our commitment to provide quilts to older children, hospice patients, and veterans.
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Activities:
During the month of April, we donated 8 quilts to Delaware Hospice and 9 quilts to the Paul Newman Foundation who will be attending summer camp in Queenstown, Maryland. (Hole in the Wall Gang).
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For more information contact Darlene Jack at ken.dar.jack@gmail.com. or 302-956-0380.
Charities we support include:
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Olivia's House - York, Pennsylvania
oliviashouse.org
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Delaware Hospice -- Milford, Delaware
delawarehospice.org
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KatyBug - pediatric hospice -- Milford, Delaware
delawarehospice.org
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Dover Air Force Base - Dover, Delaware
dover.af.mil
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Veterans Home - Milford, Delaware
vethome.delaware.gov
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We have also contributed to other groups when asked, including the Salvation Army, Cross Roads Church, and Ft. Dix
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Donations needed: Fabric: cotton, flannel (any color, prints other than toddler and baby OK); Rick rack; Lace; Yarn
GUILD CONTACT: Darlene Jack
QUILTS OF LOVE
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About us:
This group's primary mission is to make baby quilts for newborns at BayHealth Hospital and A.I. DuPont Children's Clinic in Milford. Larger quilts are made and given to Habitat for Humanity when new homeowners move in Quilts of Love hold quilting bees 4 times during the year in September, November, January, and March. Kits are assembled and ready to be sewn. The location varies so listen at guild meetings or read the newsletter. Quilts of Love sews from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Bring your sewing machine and a covered dish for lunch. Quilt kits are always available at guild meeting to be sewn at home. Contact the coordinator for more information.
Activities:
Our guild donated 39 twin size quilts to “The Hole in the Wall Gang“ for seriously ill children and their families. Thanks to all who made the quilts. They will be treasured by the child and family.
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The original camp was founded by Paul Newman. It is located in Connecticut .The new camp is located on the Maryland Eastern Shore in Queenstown, MD. The children are aged 7-15. The conditions of the children include sickle cell anemia, cancer, immunological disorders, long term serious illness requiring ongoing care. Over the summer there will be 60 children coming to camp for weekends with their family. The website is HoleintheWallGang.org.
Pat DeVoll (questions? Call 302-259-1022)
Donations needed: Fabric: Baby, Kid, Blenders 4.5” squares or larger.
Backings – at least 1 ¼ yds x WOF
GUILD CONTACT: Pat DeVoll
THE GLADE QUILTERS
About us:
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The Glade Quilters meet each Tuesday from 9 AM to 12 noon at the Glade Clubhouse to design, assemble, and sew quilts for babies, children, and adults. Its workshop includes cutting tables, sewing machines, and a fabric room. The Glade Quilters donates to the following organizations:
Bay Health Hospital in Milford and Dover
Sussex County Women's Shelter
Little Sisters of the Poor
The Baby Pantry (resource center)
Kody’s Kids Reading Group (started by Phillip Brown)
Cape Henlopen High School homeless students
YMCA (for the homeless of Rehoboth)
The Glade Quilters also provides quilts to several organizations which have fundraisers during the year, such as Stockings for Soldiers and Ducks Unlimited.
Activities:
24 quilts were picked up by Bay Health along with10 preemie crochet blankets and 10 preemie quilts. Terry Cassanelli
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Donations needed: Baby Fabric
GUILD CONTACT: Terry Cassanelli
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ANGEL GOWNS
Infant Burial Gowns
About Us:
Our guild members sew infant burial gowns from bridal dresses.
We have the patterns for the members to use. The need is
approximately 50 per year. The burial gowns are distributed to
Christiana Cares and A. I. DuPont Children's Hospital. Every year
there continues to be a need for infant Angel Gowns (burial gowns). Please consider sewing one (or more) of these gowns from a simple two-piece pattern. Any white fabric is suitable, and you may add trimmings as you wish. The families of the infants are most appreciative.
The project coordinator is Dr. Shelly Hopkins
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Activities:
Received thank-you notes from Beebe Hospital and Project Sweet Peas for its recent donation of infant burial gowns. This was the first donation to Beebe. Melissa Sopko
Donations needed: Fabric: White; White Bias tape;
GUILD CONTACT: Melissa Sopko
Download the patterns:
Baby Burial Gown Basic Sewing Instructions
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TEDDY BEARS (formerly FRIENDS OF THE FALLEN)
About us:
The seed for giving teddy bears started at the Dover Air Force Base Transfer Ceremony for children attending a fallen family member's return. It was felt they needed "something to hold." We have also found these teddy bears comfort children at hospital emergency rooms. We offer bears to first responders at all local police and fire departments. In addition, bears are given to children attending Operation SEAs the Day each September at Bethany Beach.
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Teddy Bear pattern is in two parts as a PDF file, which you can access by clicking on its underlined name.
• Teddy Bear: Upper Body Pattern, Lower Body Pattern, Updated Instructions
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Activities:
We delivered 25 bears to our contact at Dover Air Force Base recently. After a break we will start on another batch. Daria Ewanik
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Donations needed: Fabric: Light denim, children’s print, patriotic prints- fat quarters or larger
GUILD CONTACT: Daria Ewanik
PILLOWCASES OF LOVE
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About us:
Pillowcase kits, containing the necessary fabrics, are available at meetings. Members take the kits home, sew, and return at a future meeting. Some get together and make them, enjoying the community effort. Some raid their own stash! Once returned, the finished pillowcases are then laundered, ironed, labeled, and attractively packaged individually, and are ready to be given.
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Activities:
Denise Cunningham has volunteered to head the Pillowcases of Love project. You will be able to pick up kits and return completed pillowcases at our Guild meetings, as before. Many thanks, Denise!
Reminder: Kits can be picked up, and completed pillowcases can be dropped off at Dreamweavers, located in the Midway Shopping Center in Rehoboth, any Saturday 10:00-1:00.
We welcome donations of fabric that are width of fabric by any length 2" and over, preferably bright and cheerful. We hope for a wide range of colors and patterns so we can create pillowcases for all ages and genders - babies, kids, teen, women, and men.
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Donations: No fabric needed for now.
GUILD CONTACT: Denise Cunningham
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• Pillowcases of Love Instructions
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