Confused about row numbering?!

[Kayreen Rutherford]

Hi there, I am sure you will be able to help me.  The pattern i am following asked to chain 34 and then use the UK triple crochet (US double crochet) along the row,  How many stitches should i have?  Still 34? SO confused lol!!

 

[nancybanta]

You should have 32 double crochets.  You're going to make your first one into the 4th chain from the hook and those first three chains will count as the first double crochet.

[Kayreen Rutherford]

I thought it would have been 30 since i skipped 4?

[sarisue]

You did't skip 4 as you dc in the fourth skipping 3 but that 3 chain will count as your first dc, then the dc in the 4th will be your second dc, then you have 30 chains to dc in  =32

[Granny Square]

What she said ^

 

What I try to do to help people visualize this (since the question comes up a lot):

 

In your head, or for real if you want, chain 4.

 

Make a US DC in the fourth chain from the hook.

 

You now have a 'row' of 2 DC:  1 is a real DC, the other 3 chains that you skipped take the place of 1 DC.  So you chained 4, ended up with 2 DC - 4 foundation chains are 2 more chains than the row count of 2 DCs - you will always make 2 more foundation chains that the end number of DCs you need.