Hi - I'm brand new at crocheting, and I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong, as done the following steps below 6 different times in a row, and I keep getting 9 spaces instead of the 8 spaces...here it is; please let me know if it's me or the pattern (I'm guessing it's me!)

Motif: Starting at center with Navy, ch 2.
1st Round: Make 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook. Join with sl st to first sc (so far, so good)
2nd Round: Ch 4 *dc in next sc, ch 1. Repeat from * around. Join with sl st to 3rd ch of ch-4 -- 8 sps.

And that's as far as I get...so, I follow the above and I always end up with 9 spaces instead of 8. If you make the ch 4 at the beginning, that plus doing a dc in each sc would make 9 spaces, wouldn't it?

Any help is greatly appreciated!