Decreasing in Seed Stitch Pattern?

#1

I am a beginner knitter and I’m working on a tie for a friend, using the pattern here:

Cast on 14 sts.
Work in Seed St until piece measures 21" [53.5 cm] from beg.
Dec Row Keeping to Seed St pattern, dec 1 st each edge – 12 sts. Work 7 rows even.
Dec Row Dec 1 st each edge – 10 sts. Work 35 rows even.
Dec Row Dec 1 st each edge – 8 sts. Work 7 rows even.
Dec Row Dec 1 st each edge – 6 sts. Work even until piece measures 54" [137 cm] from beg.

I’m fine until reaching the decreasing rows. How do I go about decreasing on each edge? Should I use decreases that slant opposite ways or does it matter if I just use k2tog/p2tog?
Also I heard from several ravelers that they find the decreases a bit sloppy, so would it be better to decrease once in the middle of a row, and work for a couple rows before decreasing again? How would I do that and keep with the pattern (k1, p1, etc.)?

I am very confused. Thanks in advance for your help!

#2

You can use ssk/ssp at the beginning of the row and k/p 2tog at the end, or vice versa. The slant shouldn’t be too obvious with seed stitch the way it is in stockinette. Don’t dec in the middle of a row when the pattern calls for them on the ends; the point here is to shape the piece, not just to have less stitches.

The other knitters may just have sloppy edge stitches in general, but you can do them 1 st in from the edge (on the 2nd and 3rd sts from the edge) and work the edge stitch in stockinette. If it’s to be seamed, then it will be hidden anyway.

#3

If I were to k2tog and p2tog consecutively in the same row, would it result in a slant (to the right) or would it balance out and become centred? I would like the decrease to be as centred as possible. Thanks again!

#4

You’re not going to have a true centered decrease when you decrease one stitch at each end of the row. The decreases that Sue mentioned will be balanced but I don’t think the slant will be too obvious anyway. You could try these decreases out on a small swatch just to see what they look like and whether you like them.