Winter Hugs & Kisses Scarf - A Dollar Store Creation!

So this is my first mini tutorial!
I recently discovered the amazing blog lightbluegrey and besides being titled with my favorite color it is bunches of gorgeous inspiration. Recently she made this scarf and I realized it was the perfect solution to the Dollar Store scarf I scored a few weeks ago. I loved the color,

but the fringe was - shall we say- lacking a bit and in need of a solution.

So I removed the fringe. It was just slip knotted so this was super easy.

 Then I was left with this~

Enter a bit of super chunky remnant stash yarn (thanks Mom!) I used a piece about 36" long for this scarf .

Then to stitch. I found a needle with a super big eye so my yarn would go through without a battle.

I butted together the two short edges of the scarf creating a big circle. I was careful not to twist the scarf as I did this because I wanted a circular scarf in the end, but a single half twist would give you a cool mobius scarf (especially cool if the scarf you are using is short!)
Next I started stitching the two sides together. I made my stitches in one direction all the way to the end. You can make your stitches as large or small as you want and you can choose how close together you place them depending on the yarn you are using and the effect you want. I was using a super bulky yarn and I chose to make just a few large stitches pretty far apart so they would have more impact.

Then I took one big straight stitch across from the side I just finished stitching to the opposite side of the scarf and I went back up that side, creating big Xs with my yarn.

If you are like me and not so successful at keeping them the same size, they are super easy to adjust if you leave your tails a little long to start with.

I was finished, but it wasn't quite what I wanted... I didn't like the bow so I decided to tie it off at the back and weave in the ends.
It still needed something... I could still see too much of the serged edge and it was bugging me.
Then I had an idea -  Kisses are good - but Kisses and HUGS-  Now that's even better...
So I added some vintage really old random buttons to be the Os for hugs

Now I am feeling it! If only it would cool off enough for me to need a scarf!