Ugly stitches when knitting a striped scarf- Beginner?

Question

Hi! I am a beginner knitter. I am using simply a knit stitch over and over, and changing colors every 5 inches or so. However, I am getting some ugly stitches of the old color into the new color on the wrong side. Here is a picture to illustrate. Is it supposed to do this, or am I changing my colors wrong?

http://i37.tinypic.com/2niz9ja.jpg

Answer 1

That is how it looks when colours are changed.

Answer 2

You aren't doing anything wrong, this is how knitting works, you loop the new stitch through and old stitch and when you are changing colors you end up seeing both colors in one row.  As has been suggested you always need to change your colors at the same side of the work so that all of these two color rows are on the same side of the work, unless, of course, you wish to use this as a decorative effect.

Answer 3

With garter stitch (the one you're using -- knitting every row) it's hard to tell which is the right side, and the wrong side, because they look the same.  To prevent it from happening you have to change colors on the same side, all the time.  Try only changing colors when the ends with the yarn tails are at the beginning of your needle.  Right now I suspect you have yarn tails on both ends of your work.