Sandytx1!

[Sandytx1!]

Please help! I am a beginner. I am not having any trouble with the stitches. My problem is I don’t know where to crochet on the last stitch of the first row. Do I go into the slip knot itself? 

[Tampa Doll]

Yes, the stitch that is on the hook when you start is the first and last stitch.  First on the chain and last on the first row.  Now since you are learning, you can put a marker on the first stitch of each row.  This way you are sure of how many stitches you have and where the first and last stitch are.

I am sure others will come in and maybe make this easier to understand.

By the way, Welcome to Crochetville from the West Coast of Florida.

[Sandytx1!]

Thanks for responding. I feel so dumb. I do the chain then work a row and it’s that very last stitch that I can’t find. If I put a marker on the first stitch. So would I put a stitch marker on the slip knot?  🤦🏼‍♀️

[Granny Square]

Well...I'm going to  disagree with Tampa Doll, or at least I've never seen a pattern that assumed the knot counted as a stitch.  There is no reason you CAN'T use the knot if you are winging something on your own (or if you were supposed to chain 100 but find you miscounted and really chained 99, and need the knot to cheat with ...um, yes I've done that a time or 2...    ), but if you are following a pattern that has you working the first row into a foundation chain and want to use the knot, you'd want to chain 1 fewer than the pattern calls for.  You would be unlikely to have a reason to use the knot when working in the round or when making foundation stitches.

Personally I often untie the knot later, I think it looks better and crochet won't unravel from the knot end.