Last stich won't tighten! Looks like extra stiches?

[RESlyder]

So I am new to knitting, and I read through the sticky about extra stiches, but I am not sure if that is what is happening here. When I knit a row i often find my last stich to be larger and i can't get it to tighten. and it leaves a pretty loose loop to try to work with. It also makes it look like there is another stitch there. Any ideas on what i am doing wrong? I think I am keeping the yarn in back, but maybe I'm not?

[Jan in CA]

You can tell if you have extra stitches by counting the ones on the needle. If you do most likely you have the yarn in front instead of back. Go slowly at first and make sure you have the yarn in the correct position.

That loose stitch is normal especially for beginners. Just keep practicing and your tension will become more even.

[sarahg]

i just got a great tip about this. follow these directions:

http://www.wolfandturtle.net/Yarnpat...hain_selvedge/

and you'll end up with a pretty edge without loose stitches.

[suzeeq]

If the first stitch looks like it might be two stitches that's probably your last stitch with the yarn end looped up a bit pulling up the stitch from the previous row. Pull the yarn down to the side and you should be able to see the actual stitch.

sue