loose edges

[nicacarrots]

Hi, there's probably been quite a few questions like this and I just can't find them, so sorry if this has been asked a ton of times already

I'm kind of new to knitting, I learned the basics years ago and recently picked it back up. I'm finally getting how to work the tension right in the main part, but my edges are always very loose and end up a little wavy or have a random loop sticking out here or there. I've just been practicing on fairly standard yarn, with just your usual knit on one side, purl on the other type of small blocks, nothing fancy, no patterns or odd shapes yet. Any suggestions? Thanks a bunch!

[knit2btied]

I think they will straighten out with time and practice, but in the meantime some folks will slip a stitch at the end of the row for the purpose of keeping them even.

[kashadilla]

I had this issue when I first started. I'm sure if you keep doing what you're doing they would get better, but I didn't want to wait that long. I always, ALWAYS use slipped stitches to make nice even edges. (Unless those stitches are used for shaping or something in the pattern.)
theres a few different ways to do this, but this is my favorite:
On the first stitch, bring the yarn to the front and insert your right needle into the st as if to purl, but slip it instead. Work the row per your pattern, and KNIT the last stitch (of every row.)

Like I said, sometimes you can't do this if the pattern calls for those stitches to be worked in with the pattern, but if you want you can always add 2 sts to be saved just to make these nice edges.