Knitting: slip stitch advice

[Evolutionarygoals]

I'm knitting DD a scarf, it's the first thing I've knitted in a while. I'm hoping someone can give me some advice. The pattern has a slipped stitch at the start of each row and they're coming out much looser on one side than the other. I think it's a function of how I'm slipping the stitches (wyib on RS, wyif on WS) which is wrapping the yarn slightly on the right side but not so much on the wrong side.

I'm fairly sure I can tighten up the looser side, and the tighter stitches look much neater, but they are much tighter and I'm worried it's going to make it difficult to block.

Would any more experienced knitters be able to advise? Should I tighten up the loose side or try to loosen up the tighter side?

I'll attempt to attach a photo...

If you want real knitting advice hop on over to Ravelry, that is where the knitters hang out. The chat boards there are very active and you will have a response in minutes.
I also struggle with neat edges, my current project (Sophie Hood) has an icord edge on both sides, and it is super easy and very neat. Also easier to remember as it is the same on both sides RS and WS. Slip last three stitches with yarn in front. Turn and knit.
Good luck!

I’m trying to get an image in my head without the knitting in front of me so hopefully this is right!
I slip the stitch first and then position the wool ready for the next stitch. So if it’s a purl row, move the wool to the front after the slip stitch. To make the edges perfect I then always knit into the back of the final stitch of the row regardless of the pattern. So eg if it’s a purl row I move the wool to the back and then knit into the back of the final stitch. Hope this makes sense!

Are you sliping some knitwise and some purlwise? I was taught that unless it a SSK you should always slip purlwise.

It does make sense. I was trying to follow the instructions which say to slip with the yarn at the front on the purl side. But I think your way sounds neater!

To make a very good, neat edge, K2 at the beginning and end of every row, regardless of what the pattern says.

I'm doing them all purlwise, but holding the yarn in front on the wrong side, so it doesn't have very far to travel for the first purl stitch. I think I'm going to have to experiment for a few rows and accept I might be starting again if it all gets too messy

I tried Ravelry years ago, and to be honest found it a bit intense! So I stick to using it to browse patterns I'll never find time to make😁
I like the sound of your edging. Maybe I just need to go rogue and do my own thing at the edges. I'd rather it looked neat than was accurate to the pattern!

Slipping stitches at the beginning of rows invariably ends up with one row looking looser than the other. This doesn't matter so much if you're going to end up sewing two things together e.g. the front and the back of a jumper.
But it does matter if it's a scarf.

I've been knitting for 60 years and I always ignore what the pattern says about the edges.

And yes, do start again if you don't like the way it's turning out.
It's better to do that than have something which isn't quite right on your hands.
I've recently pulled the back of a jumper back several times, to get an intricate pattern exactly right.

Interesting, can I ask what you generally do with scarfs? I've previously made a number of triangular shawls, but it's been years and I can't really remember how they went. Also, I think with those the edges are less comparable as they don't hang parallel to each other!

Argh Ravelry!
I can't, for the life of me, find a way to navigate their website.

It's years since I knitted a scarf, but I'd K2 at the beginning and end of every single row.
The rest of the scarf would be whatever the pattern says. So I'm suggesting that you start again............ sorry! I know it's a pain, but you'll get a much better result.

Norman and his Nimble Needles page usually has a solution. Maybe look here?

nimble-needles.com/stitches/the-10-best-edge-stitch-knitting-techniques/

Have you tried always slipping the first stitch purlwise including on a knit row, and always knitting the last stitch, including on a purl row?

Also, my mum used to slip the first and last stitches on alternate rows but I can’t remember if she did that on a knit or a purl row, whether she slipped purlwise or knitwise, or even if it made any difference to how it looked! Might just have been how she learned from her mum.

I am coming to that conclusion myself! I think I'll keep going for a bit so I can try some of the excellent suggestions here, but then I'll have to frog and start again. It usually goes more quickly the second time round (...that's what I tell myself anyway).

Thanks @YossarianC22 (great book btw!), I did wonder about just always knitting that last stitch, I'll give that a go before I start again.

@Floristian I hadn't come across that website before, thank you! I like how clearly it's written. Bookmarking!