i have never tried to knit but have been shown, many times, how to crochet.  and i have *never* been able to get past the chain.  well, i got past the chain when someone showed me how to join them up.  i thought i was following the instructions but always, always, always end up with the project (scarf) getting smaller and smaller as i add rows.  it's ends up looking like a shirt collar.  annoying.  

so now, when i have the urge to crochet (which is basically never), i'm tempted to just go buy a latch-hook-rug kit or a paint-by-numbers.  i can't seem to mess those up.  heh.