Challenges of knitting diagonal stitch pattern in the flat

Stitch pattern:

1: *[M1], k1, p1 (to create garter column of 1 st), ssk, k - rep from *

2: all even rows (WS) purl

The idea is to create slanting columns of garter, flanked by stockinette.

Versions of this stitch pattern are very popular in round knitting and are most suited for hats. What happens if I knit this flat?

Try 1: (top image)

Work an imaginary tube. The diagonal columns fall off the left edge and new diagonal columns start from the right edge. With this, the fabric grows diagonally but in the opposite direction!! Whaat!! I charted it out and confirmed this to be fact.

Try 2: (bottom image)

So I figured all I had to do was kill the extra stitches on the right edge and increase stitches on the left edge. Simple right? This time I charted first and the chart looked alright. I then swatched it. The fabric didn't grow straight up. Instead, it now slanted to the left, along the diagonal columns of the stitch pattern.

I can explain this phenomenon - there is no stitch in the fabric that is oriented along the cartesian y-axis (given that the bottom edge of swatch is x-axis). Each stitch is either at approx 45 deg or 135 deg. To get a rectangular fabric out of this, I'd have to device a half-stitch-decrease on the right edge and similarly a half-stitch increase on the left edge for every RS row.

I will give this one more try and post my results. If not, perhaps a different combination of stitches will achieve a similar fabric but one that grows as a rectangle.