Help with an “Emily the little mermaid” pattern

[Mejofred]

I’m confused on the tail instructions. Working on the left fin. 

“Row 2- 3FPdc in second stitch, FPdc in the next 5 st, FPdc in chain-3-loop of last row, chain 3 return.” 
 

is it talking posts or wholes when it talks about “second stitch”.  if it’s wholes the I would start on the third post but if it’s posts isn’t that the second post?

PLEASE HELP THIS ONE IS DRIVING ME NUTS! I can’t make it look right. 😫😢

 

 

Edited April 15, 2020 by Mejofred
Clarification of pattern question

[Granny Square]

You know how in plain DC in rows, you chain 3 turn, skip the first stitch (because the ch3 counts as a stitch) and DC in the second stitch?  This is the same thing, except you are stitching around, not into the top of, the second stitch.

Have you done a Front Post Double Crochet before?  Does your pattern book have a section that explains how to make the stitches?  If you are not familiar with the stitch, it is a little...unusual, you might want to find a video that shows how to do this.  

If by 'wholes' you meant 'holes', yes they factor into the process.  Insert the hook in the hole between the turning chain (which counts as the first stitch), and the next DC, around the back of the stitch, and back to the front the the hole on the other (left) side of the stitch.  YO, and complete a DC as you normally would, except around the second stitch's 'body', or post.

[ReniC]

That's a great explanation Granny Square. Here's just one of many YouTube videos on the stitch.