Want tighter ends of rows

I am knitting an interlac scarf- it calls for slipped stitches at the end of rows- What can I do to create tighter loops at the end of the rows- I have finally tackled the complicated pattern but this really bugs me!

What makes neat edges for me is to do the first stitch, pull the yarn a bit, and do the next couple sts a little tighter. But you don’t want them too tight for entrelac or when you pick up the sts in them, it’ll pull on the next ones and will make small gaps. If you slip the first sts of the row, it’ll do the same thing.