How do I get my knitted edges neat?

[maggiethecat]

Knitting my first piece - a scarf but it looks a bit raggedy at the edges - any help?

Slip (don't knit) the first stitch of every row, purlwise if your first stitch presents as a purl stitch and knitwise if it presents as a knit stitch.
Or in other words, if you knitted the last stitch, slip it as a purl stitch and vice versa.
Always more difficult to explain than to show.

Or, when yiou've knitted the first stitch of each row, give the yarn a tug so that it's tighter before knitting the next stitch.

Thank you for your help. I have been just merrily knitting (ie not knit and purl) so it's just one type of stitch. Is this wrong or strange bcos I've heard people talking about knit one purl one but does it impair the quality of the product, by way of aesthetics or durability if one just knits??

No, it doesn't, but you do get ragged edges, as you say. If you slip the first one of each row purlwise ie from underneath rather than from the top, you get a neater edge. But it doesn't hurt at all if you have just knitted the first stitch and get a ragged edge. In fact, now you've started this way, you'd better finish