Scarf in progress

I'm trying to expand my knitting skills, so I started looking for different stitch patterns. Even though it's not terribly cold in Georgia (compared to places that actually get snow in the winter), I hate the cold and love being bundled up. I wanted to make a big, snuggly circular scarf and settled on this beautiful basketweave stitch. The pattern itself isn't difficult (still just knits and purls), but I can't seem to figure out where I'm going wrong. Basketweave stitch: 1, My pattern reading skills: 0.

I've already started over 3x, and it keeps turning out the same, so I decided to move on and try my hand at making cables. This is already turning out much better. Cables are a piece of cake with the J-hook (also I can pretend to be pirate). Definitely one those "looks harder than it is" techniques. 

Don't you just love the oatmeal yarn? I got 2 skeins on sale for $1.50 a piece. SUCH a great deal. It's the Red Heart brand, but this color, aran fleck, seems a lot less scratchy than the other colors. It'll soften up too once I finish and throw it in the wash. Once I finish, I'll post the pictures!