Since our bingo challenge this year was such a success, we will be doing it again! We’ll have new prompts along with some of last year’s to stretch us while we enjoy stitching. We are excited for you all to participate! Bingo cards will be available at meetings and are available to purchase online.

The rules will be the same as last year but some of the prompts have changed to keep the momentum going.

FORT WORTH CHAPTER – Keep On Stitching “BINGO” CHALLENGE

INTRODUCTION:

This stitch challenge will be more task oriented than a challenge focusing on hours or number of finishes.  These tasks will be oriented to the mission of EGA and our chapter.  Some tasks will be easy, and some will be a bit more difficult.  This Challenge is designed to last most of the year and some of the tasks are designed to take some time while others will be completed quickly.  The goal of the challenge is to encourage us to stretch our stitching muscles, encourage fellowship within the group and have an opportunity to win a prize at the end of the year!

Dates

The challenge will run from January 6, 2024 to November 30, 2024.  The challenge will be set up like bingo cards.  We will have a master list of tasks along with their description.  Each task was given a number, and a random sequence generator was used to populate the numbers on the cards. There will be 4 different cards. 

Discussion of Tasks & Strategy

The cards may have the same tasks, but in different places. If you complete Task 1 – you mark that task complete on all the cards you are playing (think about playing Bingo with multiple cards at one time – B5 is B5 on all the cards you play.)  A description of the numbered tasks is in this challenge packet.

After you get your cards, be strategic.  Think about where you can combine tasks on a particular project.  In other words, one project may fulfill multiple tasks on the card. 

The FREE Square

The FREE square is yours to use as you choose.  You can place it on any square on the card and you do not have to complete that task. You only get one Free space per card.

Bingo & Blackout

Your challenge is to complete a BINGO (horizontal, vertical, diagonal or 4 corners) on each card.  You can only BINGO one time on each card.  After you complete a BINGO, you will continue to work on that card until you BLACKOUT.

Cost & Drawing entries

Each card will be $5.  You may purchase up to 4 different cards.  To purchase cards, you will pay the Treasurer with cash, check or Zelle.  The Treasurer will hold the money for this challenge. At the end of the challenge, winners will be drawn for prizes purchased with the pot of money collected. 

Card purchase = 1 entry per card

Bingo (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) = 1 entry

Bingo 4 corners = 2 entries

Blackout = 4 entries

The Challenge ends on November 30, 2024.  All Challenge BINGO’s and BLACKOUTS need to be reported to the Challenge Manager, Anna Todd by November 30, 2024. Please email photos of cards to [email protected] or bring to the general meetings for recoding and verification.  Winners will be drawn at the annual Holiday Party.

RULES:

1. You must be a member of our guild to enter the challenge. Are you not a member of our chapter but want to participate in the challenge?  You are welcome to join the Chapter! Just let me know and we can make that happen!
2. Challenge starts at our January meeting, January 6, 2024.  It ends on November 30, 2024.  Winners will be drawn at the Holiday Party in December.
3. You may purchase up to 4 different cards.  Each card purchase will put your name in the Challenge Drawing one time. 
4. The FREE square is your choice.  You are free to place it in any one of the 25 squares on the card.
5. As you complete a task, draw an X through the square to indicate that you have completed that task.
6. You can only BINGO 1 time per card.  When you BINGO, you will report that to the Challenge Manager. A BINGO (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) will get you one entry into the Challenge Drawing.  A 4-Corner BINGO gets 2 entries into the drawing.  Please advise the Challenge Manager when you have completed BINGO or BLACKOUT (see rule 9).
7. After you BINGO on a card, the card continues to be in play for BLACKOUT.  When you BLACKOUT, you will report the card number and the blackout to the Challenge Manager (see rule 9).  A BLACKOUT earns 4 entries into the drawing.
8. The Challenge will end on November 30, 2024.  You will have until that day to report your BINGO’s and BLACKOUT’s (see rule 9).  We will have a Drawing at the Holiday Party for the winners.  The number of winners and the dollar amounts for gift certificates will depend upon how much money we collect for the Challenge.  The winners will get gift certificates to local and/or online needlework shops.
9. Please email photos of bingo cards to [email protected] or bring to chapter general meetings for recording and verification.
10. You do not have to present to win but we would love for you to party with us. Gift certificates will be mailed at the expense of the winner if they are not present to collect.

FAQs:  

Can someone outside the group be in the challenge?  No.  We are limiting our challenge to members (including plurals) to the challenge. Anyone interested in participating is welcome to join the chapter. *Must be a current member to purchase cards and win a prize.

When does the challenge start?  At our January meeting.

Can someone join the challenge late in the game?  Yes, but keep in mind there are squares that take longer than others to complete.

How much are the cards?  $5.00 each.

How many cards can I play?  There are 4 different cards; you may play up to 1 of each card.

What’s a BINGO?  Bingos are vertical, horizontal, diagonal, and 4-corners.

How do I get entries to the drawing? 

Each card purchase gets 1 entry to the challenge. 

Each BINGO (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) gets 1 entry to the drawing. 

Each 4-corner BINGO gets 2 entries to the drawing. 

BLACKOUT gets  entries to the drawing.

Where is the FREE square?  The free square is yours to use as you choose.  Write FREE over the task square you choose not to do and you are free from completing that task.

When is the drawing?  We will have the drawing at the Holiday Party.

What do I win?  Each winner will be given a gift certificate to a local or online needlework shop.

Do I have to be present at the Holiday Party to win?  No, but we would sure love to see you there!

What qualifies as an LNS?  This task was meant to encourage us to support local needlework stores over big box.  That might mean a LNS that you find in your travels, an online store, or other LNS available to you maybe through the internet or social media shopping.

What is EGA’s Mission?  “Our mission is to inspire passion for the needle arts through education and the celebration of its heritage.”  https://egausa.org/about-us/

Task List – Explanations

1. Bead it! – Work on a beaded project (can be embellishment or fully beaded)
2. Fob, fob, fob – make 3 scissor fobs
3. Giving heart – pass on a pattern or chart from your stash
4. Teach future generations – teach at one of the GS or State Fair events
5. Volunteer engagement – volunteer with our chapter by serving on a committee, teaching a program, leading a fundraiser, or hosting a SIP.
6. WIP it good – work on your WIP(s) for at least 5 hours a month for 6 months
7. Oldie but goodie – dig out your oldest WIP and complete stitching or stitch for 10 hours.
8. Show off that backside – share a picture of the back of a current project in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter.
9. Paparazzi please – take photos at a meeting or event and share in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter.
10. Needlepoint – work on counted canvas and/or painted canvas for 5 hours.
11. Got to start them all – start a new project.
12. Dream chart – share your dream chart (pic and details) in the chapter Facebook group. Who knows, maybe someone will lend it to you!
13. SIP x 2 – stitch in public at a chapter event or on your own and post a pic in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter (two times).
14. See one, do one, teach one – learn a new stitch & teach it to another member or stitcher!
15. Snack attack – share your favorite stitching snack in the chapter Facebook group.
16. Pass the frog – post a before and after pic of your frogging in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter.
17. Make new friends – introduce yourself to and get to know a new member (can been done virtual).
18. Who did you help today – help a stitcher with a technique, stitch, conversion, or project idea.
19. Watch or listen – share in the chapter Facebook group what you watch or listen to while stitching (podcasts, YouTube channels, audiobooks, shows/movies, etc.)
20. You did it – fully finish two projects (can be previously stitched)
21. Shop small x 2 – support a LNS or small needlework related business (can be online) twice.
22. Stretch – try a new technique or stitch and share in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter.
23. Donations x 2 – donate funds to the monthly chapter selected charity, at least 3 birthday cards to the chapter Goodwill program, or some of your stash to the chapter stash sale table in March (twice).
24. Group stitch x 4 – stitch with others four times. Zoom counts!
25. National or Region project – Complete a National or Region sponsored project.  EGA posts petite projects and stitch-alongs throughout the year in addition to other projects in the Needle Arts magazine or on the national website.
26. Chapter project – Complete a Chapter hosted project.  Our chapter hosts various programs and SALs throughout the year.
27. Binge away – Binge stitch four times. Binge stitching is defined as 5+ hours for one stitching session.
28. Stitching spot – share a photo or video of your stitching spot in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter.
29. Holiday stitch – stitch on a holiday project (any holiday counts).
30. WIP Blitz – Stitch on one WIP exclusively for one week.
31. Algerian eye stitch – stitch an Algerian eye stitch on a project. Tutorial: Algerian eye stitch – RSN StitchBank https://rsnstitchbank.org/stitch/algerian-eye-stitch
32. Get knotty – practice different knot stitches or incorporate into a project. Suggested knots include Chinese, Colonial, or French; more options are available in the RSN StitchBank. https://rsnstitchbank.org/structure/knotted
33. Felt – stitch on a felt project.
34. Chapter Workshop – attend a chapter workshop.
35. Flaunt it – share a photo of a fully finished piece that you are proud of in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter.
36. Organize it – tidy up and organize your WIPs and kitted projects. Share a photo in the chapter Facebook group or on Instagram and tag our chapter for extra imaginary points; you get double if you tell us how many WIPs you have, lol.
37. Blackwork – stitch on a Blackwork piece or incorporate Blackwork into a project.
38. Embellish – add an embellishment to a project. This can be beads, charms, buttons, metallic threads, or other fancy threads such as Whisper, Very Velvet, Silk Lame, etc.