jedzia! In the world of crochet....RS means "right side" and WS means "wrong side". So, you will chain 20 stitches and with the "front" of those 20 stitches facing AWAY from you, you will begin to do your actual first row of crochet. Hope this helps you!! If that is confusing for you, you can actually go on you tube and watch someone "close up" begin a project!!

OK, so if I understand correctly.....I make my chain and it's facing me, I tune in over showing the back of the chain and I begin my first row on the TOP of the chain facing away from me?

I think it does mean "wrong side". Sometimes the directions tell you to do this on the first row (on the backside) to make the material firmer to hold the rest of the rows in line. Hope I explained this well enough for you.
Maureen

So OK. After I make my chain and turn it away from me, this puts the bottom loop of the chain at the top. I am assuming this is where I begin the 1st row of my work. The second row I will work as normally stated on the pattern. The the question I have is, which side of the work is the right side so I can sew them correctly???

Jedzia, If you stitch a couple of rows according to the directions, after you finished the wrong sided stitch all the way across, then eventually you can look at the fabric and be able to tell the right side from the wrong side.

jedzia, I have been away and am just checking back in. What are you making?? Where did you get the pattern?? Any pattern I have ever bought gave the basic crochet instructions with pictures!!! I am not understanding this!!!

I think it's one of those things you have to see in person.

I think I figured it out. The pattern is an old pattern almost 5-6 years old my mom gave to me to do for her.... and because I didn't understand some of the pattern details like this (WS) thing and some of the stitches, I put it away and forgot about it. Now, I want to get it done so I have had such success with the help and ideas on this chit chat, I thought I might give it a try for help and so far I'v gotten what I need...thank you all! :) ... I also come here for xstitch help too!

jedzia, I am glad you were able to understand what you need to do! It is difficult to give these precise instructions over the internet!! Best of Luck.