decreasing into a point in 2x2 rib

[merchgirl]

hi all,

i'm making points around the edge of a 2x2 ribbed hat, picking up stitches around the cast on edge. i'm picking up 8 stitches then decreasing (to 6 to 4 to 2) to 1. i've been doing the decreases all on the wrong side (in order to have 2 rows at each number), doing a ssk at the start of the row and a k2tog at the end of the row. it's not terrible, so maybe i don't need to alter anything, but i'm a perfectionist and it doesn't look ideal. for instance, there was at least one place where i knit 2 purl stitches together. should i be purling 2 together? would that look any different? would it lean the same way? also, the ssk's are bumpier than the k2tog's. is there a better stitch to do at the beginning of the rows, and should i be taking into account whether the stitch being decreased is a purl or a knit? also, i picked every stitch up the same way, as if it were a knit...if i pick up the stitches that will be purls differently, would that help?

sorry for the rambling sort-of-question, i'm just wondering if anyone has done this same thing and has any advice as to how it make it look nicer.

thanks in advance!