Patent ID: 8590345

Claim:
A method of forming an upper member for an article of footwear, the method comprising: knitting a unitary textile material having a first area associated with a first stitch configuration and a second area associated with a second stitch configuration, the second stitch configuration being different than the first stitch configuration, and wherein the first area is continuous with the second area; removing at least one textile element including the first area and the second area from the unitary textile material; incorporating the at least one textile element into an upper member for an article of footwear, wherein an exterior surface of the upper member includes the first area and the second area; wherein the step of knitting the unitary textile material further comprises: knitting the first area with the first stitch configuration to integrally form stability ribs in the knitted textile material; knitting the second area with the second stitch configuration to form a generally smooth surface not including stability ribs; wherein a first portion of the first area extends along a forefoot portion of the exterior surface of the upper member and a second portion of the first area extends along a lateral midfoot side of the exterior surface of the upper member; and wherein a portion of the second area extends between the first portion of the first area and the second portion of the first area on a lateral midfoot side of the exterior surface of the upper member.