Everyone needs a little 'Monster Friend"

[December 25, 2017]   LINCOLN -  Everyone needs a little 'Monster Friend'! Locally made and sold, these creatures are sure to become family treasures. They are adorable, cuddly, make a great gift, and each one sold helps kids in need.

If you are looking for a special gift and a way to help others, Serendipity Stitches on the square in Lincoln has unique looking pillows known as "Monster Friends.” Each sale of a Monster Friend helps raise funds for kids in need.

Linda Churchill makes these adorable monster friends for children to use as a pillow and attaches a message to each one that says, "A monster friend, that is what I am. All my parts make me unique. Just like you, I am one-of-a-kind. Remember you’re special and let your light shine --- and to always be kind to one another."

Churchill says that before making these special pillows, "I had made a few crocheted animals for my youngest grandchildren. I do not like following patterns and came up with simple crocheted monsters."

Churchill says, "I made several for gifts and my grandchildren, but they could only use so many. I started looking for a place to donate them. " She wanted to find a way to use her talents and at the same time help those in need.

Churchill soon found the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation online and they had a pattern called "Monster Fleece Lovey Blanket," which she says was a square of fleece with crocheted edging, crocheted head, crocheted tab arms and legs.

Churchill says, "I thought maybe they could use the full-body monster" and wanted to make several to ship.

Churchill says while she was making the monsters, Jeanie Xamis, owner of Serendipity Stitches, learned about the Matthew Project in Springfield, which serves homeless children. Xamis learned that one child's Christmas wish was a pillow."

Xamis then asked the Stitch Group that meets at Serendipity Stitches if they would be interested in making items such as monsters, hats, and mittens for homeless children. The Stitch Group made items for the Matthew Project for the 2015 and 2016 Christmas seasons.

Churchill says, "I then decided to turn the crocheted body into a fleece pillow so that it could be used as a pillow and still have a toy to hug."

Churchill came up with the message on the monster friends because she "wanted the children to know that the monster friend was unique and that they were unique, also. The verse just came together and it has been tweaked a couple of times." She says, "With the bullying problem that exists, I recently tweaked it to include a line about being kind."

Churchill thinks she has now made about 45 monster friends. She says, "I enjoy making them and I am so glad God has put this project in my path. The fun part is making each monster one-of-a-kind and giving names to the monster friends."

Though she was originally sending the monster friends to Springfield, Churchill says, "I now make the monsters for the School Store at the Wounded Knee School District. The students receive school bucks by getting good grades and they can use the bucks in the school store." One hundred percent of the proceeds made from the monster friends sold at Serendipity Stitches are given to the school.

Churchill has heard from the principal at the Wounded Knee School, who said the kids really like them and that they also appreciated the monetary donation.

The monster friend pillows can be purchased at Serendipity Stitches for $20, and will provide a cute pillow for a child to hug in their sleep, while at the same time helping children in need.

[Angela Reiners]