Wrestling Yarn Into Submission

I have a skein of yarn that is recalcitrant.  That means it's stubbornly resisting authority.  Or in other words, it's not playing nice with the pattern I pick.

It's still kind of cute here but not the
 beauty that enticed me to buy it.

I tried three times to beat this yarn into submission, three different patterns.  I tried a cabled pattern.  I tried pairing it with another yarn for a rag rug sock.  I tried a basic sock.  And all three times I frogged it.

I was beginning to regret my purchase.  This skein had enticed me for a few weeks, calling to me with its splotches of deep red and teal.  The call was so loud that I did not mind that it had orange and yellow splotches, too.

I just had to have it!  I ordered it and was filled with glee at the receiving my squishy mail.

The skein was beautiful.

Then I wound it into a cake (that's a yarn ball that is flat on the top and bottom so it does roll away).

Some of the beauty was lost.  The splotches were not grouped together and seemed to be a bit muddled.  But I knew that knitting it into  a sock could change the look.

I was ready to banish that skein to the depths of my stash box, or to sacrifice it to the fire.  At least it would produce some warmth that way.

Then I happened upon a sock that caught my eye.  I looked at the pattern and the designer said that the wonderful slip stitch pattern could save a variegated yarn.

I eyed my recalcitrant yarn.  I wonder if there was and saving it.  The only way to tell would be to cast on and knit.

Here's the result:

What do you think?
The pattern Weaver's Socks by Emily Walton
saved this yarn from banishment.

Update:  These socks are now featured on the main pattern page on Ravelry.  Click here to check it out!