Design Elements

So I've been pecking away at this scarf for about a month. Lamb's Pride Worsted in a varigated brown colorway. It's a pattern I made up. Please forgive me as this is the first time I am writing out a pattern. Cast on 22 stitches. Row 1-4 k2p2. Row 5 k22. Row6 p22. Row 7 k22. Row 8 p22.* Repeat rows 1-8 until it is as long as you want it.

This is not a rocket science pattern. This is not intarsia, fair isle, or lace. It has no color changes. It doesn't require DPNs or stitch markers. There is no cableing. It completely lacks increases and decreases. It is a beginner's pattern. Right?

So you can understand my frustration when the right side becomes the wrong side and vice versa. Ok, in one part I know what happened. I did purl rows when I should have done knit rows. Fine. But then even when I got it right (and I swear I got it right) the right side still became the wrong side. Then the right side for a few repeats. Then the wrong side again.

I have ripped back and tried again. I have had other people rip back and try again. And it's still wonky.

I'm calling it a design element, because I really don't want to rip back two feet of scarf I have worked very hard for.

But really, either I'm stupid and cannot be trusted with a beginner's pattern, or the yarn just hates me. I know it hates starbucks, because that's where it acts up the worst. But last night, it started rebelling at B&N. What's a sort-of knitter to do?!