craftgrrl | knitting: day one... EEPS!

My fourth grade students have inspired me to learn how to knit. Sittin on the playground with one of them, watchin in amazement as she made a mini scarf was just too much for me to take, SO i went to the store and bought some supplies. then i looked up on the net how to begin, since no one round these here city parts knows the art of knitting (besides 9 year olds, but they are prolly in bed by now). it just makes me wish my Nanni was still alive to show me. anyhoo

slipknot: check!

Casting off: check!

First row: chhhh... yah, how did i mess this up?

sorry for the hugeness, but in order to figure out where i went wrong, it needs to be seen in detail.

the prob i started havin was when i was stitchin the first row, the yarn between the two needles kept stretchin longer and longer. it finally eneded up being this huge loophole when i stitched the slipknot i began with. am i even wording this correctly in my desperate attempt to make sense? be gentle, its my first time. any help, advice you could offer me tonight would be so appreciated. i dont want to go to the playground and be laughed outta school cause i cant knit :(