Bob's Sweater and Pink Socks

I feel much better from my cold last week. I sent Bobby a picture of the colorful yoke sweater and he loves it. I showed the sweater to my knitting pals at the LYS and they loved it.  I am now weaving the loose ends in, a few daily. Now, I must tweek the stitches along the beginning of each circular row so that they lay properly.

This is a picture of the ribbing of the pink sock I am working on for myself. I tried working a heart motif with the variegated yarn, but it was too "cutesey".  I want something a bit more adult, so I am knitting the sock without motifs.

While I was at the LYS I ordered yarn to complete the charcoal socks I planned to knit for a friend so that I can complete them. I also purchased the pink variegated sock yarn, a blue/purple variegated sock yarn and a set of #1 7-inch bamboo double pointed needles.

As I began to knit on the pink socks I had trouble joining the stitches and keeping the stitches untwisted. I took a break and then recasted on with the the long tail cast on and connected the stitches by slipping one stitch onto the right hand needle and passing another stitch over it. My previous efforts had yielded a twisted ribbing.  Now, the ribbing is progressing nicely. 

I am working with two patterns.  One says to knit the ribbing 3 1/2 inches and one pattern says to knit the ribbing 1 inch. It is 2 3/4 inches now.  I am wondering how to proceed. The 3 1/2 inch ribbing would ensure a loose leg portion. It would make for an odd looking sock, but  no odder that my athletic socks. Let me think about it.