Yarn Bombs

I've been wanting to make a yarn bomb. Something about it is so appealing...not just making the city more colorful and cheerful with our crazy crocheted rainbows, but the sneaky part... the bombing.

In April, as part of child abuse awareness, our city will be bombed with blue yarn.  I'm in. When this granny gets to 20 inches, it will be big enough for the lamp post.  I'm close, but not quite there. My intention is to make 3 of these squares, to be attached vertically - and cover about 5 feet.  The lamp post is 10 feet tall.

Please ignore the imperfections in this square... I do realize the edge along the bottom of the heart started out one granny cluster short of the other sides. I fixed it in the first navy row.  Since this is for a bombing, and will eventually be thrown away, I'm letting it go. If it were for an afghan, I would have ripped it out and fixed it in the first square round.

The center heart was simple:

Begin with a basic granny square for round one - 3 double crochets on each side, 2 chains in the corners
Round 2 - make 7 double crochets on each side - 2 chains in the corners.  This means 2 DC in the corner, 1 in each of the 3 DC from round 1, 2 DC in the next corner, 2 chain, and repeat for the next row. Slip stitch to the first stitch to end.
Round 3 - make a triple crochet in the middle DC (4th DC from the hook), then make 6 DC in the same space, plus 1 more triple, slip stitch to the next corner, repeat on the next side - this makes the 2 "humps" of the heart.  And you're done!

My square is not precise, but basically I did a round of single crochet, with 3 sc in the stitches that became the top 2 corners, and 3 in the point of the heart.  Subsequent rounds are traditional granny clusters, every 3 stitches.  Corners have 2 chains in between. The mistake in this one - 5 granny clusters on each side, except the bottom edge, which only has 4. Next time, I'll count and make them even.  (I have to keep reminding myself - it's a bomb. It's okay that it isn't perfect.)

One important note - the two corners at the bottom have triple crochet, not double crochet. It helps even things out.

Time for me to get busy. I need to make some tea and cookies...Downton Abbey is on this evening, and I want to be ready!