Train Ridin' Teaching Opportunity

As we crochet around the City, we may encounter some people wanting to learn to crochet as we ride around. If you have an extra hook you wouldn't mind parting with, we could teach people and send them away with a hook and a small ball (or cake) of yarn. Just a thought for anyone interested.

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Getting to the Clark/Lake Station

Many of you riding the Metra in from the suburbs are uncomfortable getting around the City. You'll have no problem during the day once we're in a group. Getting to the group, well that's a different story. Here are directions for you. Please read through past your train directions. There's information about getting a CTA pass at the bottom. Please Note: The CTA pass to ride around the El is separate from the Metra ticket you buy to get into the City.

For those of you riding the Metra Union Pacific/Northwest Line:

You will want to take the train that arrives in Chicago at Ogilvie at 10:23am.The train will arrive in Chicago at 10:23am. If you didn't find anyone on the train, look for them at Ogilvie Station when you get off the train.

To walk from Ogilvie Transportation Center to the Clark/Lake El station, the official meeting place: There are several different exits to get outside the train station. You'll want to look for the signs pointing to the exit on Madison. When you go out the door, turn right, which will be east. Walk for about 5 blocks to Clark Street. At Clark Street, turn left, which will be north. You'll walk for 4 blocks to Lake Street. At Lake Street, the train tracks will be over your head. The entrance to the El station is on Lake Street. Turn left at the intersection of Clark Street and Lake Street. The entrance to the station will be on the right side of the street.

For those of you riding either the Burlington Northern or Milwaukee District West Lines:

For those of you riding Burlington Northern, take the train that arrives at Chicago at Union Station at 10:42am. For those of you riding Milwaukee District West Line, take the train that arrives at Chicago at Union Station at 10:09. If you didn't find anyone on the train, look for them at Union Station when you get off the train. I suggest anyone on the 10:09 train sit around upstairs and crochet until those on the later train come, so you can all walk together.

To walk from Union Station to the Clark/Lake El station, the official meeting place: There are several different exits to get outside the train station. You'll want to look for the signs pointing to the exit on Adams. I believe it's the escalator near the McDonald's. When you go out the door, turn right, which will be east. Walk for about 6 blocks to Clark Street. At Clark Street, turn left, which will be north. You'll walk for 7 blocks to Lake Street. At Lake Street, the train tracks will be over your head. The entrance to the El station is on Lake Street. Turn left at the intersection of Clark Street and Lake Street. The entrance to the station will be on the right side of the street.

To ride the El train, you need to buy a CTA pass. When you get to the corner of Clark and Lake Streets there will be a Walgreens. You can buy the CTA pass there. The CTA pass is separate from the Metra train pass. You'll each want to buy a "1-Day Fun Pass", which is $5.75.

If you are worried about getting lost in downtown Chicago, it may be helpful to buy a map. There are small ones that are of only downtown. The ones I've seen are coated in plastic and fold up easily. I think you can get them at a gas station, or maybe even a drug store. 

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Itinerary and Route Guide

Chain on the Train

Itinerary and Route Guide

u         Start in the Clark and Lake El blue/brown/orange station lobby at 11:00 am

u        Ride the Brown line north to Kimball and back down to Belmont

u        At Belmont we'll transfer to the Red line, which we'll ride south to Harrison

u        We'll get off at Harrison and proceed to Loopy Yarns for a 1 ½ hr shopping and lunch break from approx 12:45-2:15

Loopy Yarns – 47 W Polk, Chicago – loopyyarns.com

u        At 2:30 we will walk to the Green Line Roosevelt stop and head west to Harlem/Lake

u        Just off Harlem/Lake there is a yarn shop called Knot Just Knits, at which you are you are welcome to stop and shop:

Knot Just Knits – 1107-1109 Westgate, Oak Park – knotjustknits.com

u        We will then ride the Green Line back to State/Lake – our last official stop

From there we will walk down the street to 190 N State Street to the ABC-Channel 7 News Station. The local news starts at 5:00pm, they have large windows where crowds gather to watch the news and hope to get a little face time on the TV. If there are enough of us gathered, we might get a quick mention if it’s a slow enough news day… Banners/posters promoting crochet are welcome!

If you can’t join us at the start of the event but want to catch up with us as we ride

* Follow us on Twitter for updates @chainonthetrainchi

* Call us at 773-270-2438 – which is 773-CR0CHET (a zero, not letter O)!

Other ways to contact us:

* Email us at chainonthetrainchi@gmail.com

* Join our Ravelry Group: www.ravelry.com/groups/chain-on-the-train

* Follow our blog: chainonthetrainchi.blogspot.com

Tell your friends! Tell your Neighbors! Blog about it! Post to your fav ravelry groups!

Spread the word! Just remember the bigger the crowd the bigger the statement and the more pride we show for crochet!

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Announcing Chain on the Train: a Northern Illinois Crochet Guild Event

March is National Crochet Month. Historically the Northern Illinois Chapter of the Crochet Guild of America has celebrated by hosting a Crochet Buffet showcasing a variety of crochet techniques. This year the buffet was moved to September.

What oh what could our guild do to promote and celebrate the fine art of crochet, we asked, at our January meeting? Enter brave souls Anne Morey (on ravelry at penguinam) and Robyn Schoessow (on ravelry at robynlicious), who volunteered to plan an event in mere weeks. Announcing… {drum roll, please!}…

Chain on the Train: a crochet in public event taking place on Chicago public transit's El trains!

Please join us as we crochet in public around the City Saturday, March 19, 2011. The event will begin in the morning at 11:00 and run until 3-4:00 or so (we're still hammering out some of the details).

We are welcoming all crocheters and fiber enthusiasts* to join us! Whether you just picked up the hook or have held it proudly for decades, we want you! Our goal is to raise awareness of the awesomeness that is crochet. We'll show Chicago that crocheting – and crocheters! – are not just grannies. With luck we'll even have the opportunity to teach people to crochet throughout the day!

The starting place will be the lobby of the Clark/Lake Blue/Brown/Orange/Green/Pink Line station. The official route will include travel on the brown, red, and blue lines – specifics to come later.

After the first leg of our journey we plan on stopping in the south Loop for a Loopy Yarns and lunch break. While we'll make the greatest impact traveling around as a large group, you're welcome to branch off on your own.

We'll be updating the blog with details as we get closer to the event.

Follow us on Twitter @ChainOnTheTrain -- during the event we plan on using twitter to keep you all apprized of our location.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give us a signal boost. The planning has all been last minute, so we're counting on you to help us get the word out. Retweet this post. Share info with your groups from crochet night. Post to ravelry.

*knitters also welcome, as are fiberistas/fiberistos of all kinds who want to stitch in public with us!

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