Counting chain stitches—where do you start?

Hi everyone,
I have a question
: when you make
a foundation chain, where do you start counting?
Does the loop at the beginning count as the first stitch, or is the first actual chain stitch number one?
Since I’m now working on more projects that require counting stitches, I’d really like to know.
Thanks in advance!

I don’t count the first tiny loop.

I’m always a little unsure
about this—I haven’t found anything on it in my craft books yet.
Theoretically, it doesn’t make that much of a difference whether you count that tiny loop as a chain stitch or not;
when you pull the yarn tight, it almost
disappears anyway, but still…
well.

I don’t count the very first one either.

I don’t either. I just pull it really tight—then it’s like a knot :-)

If you pull it tight later when you weave it in and counted it as a real chain stitch beforehand, it’ll create a little dent, so never count it—just pull it tight right away.

I’ve often wondered that too, and like you, I decided not to count it, but to pull it really tight instead. For me, that little knot is always a good indicator of where the back of the work is :D

Waves, Nici