I see. Well, maybe it’s just a matter of getting used to the technique. One thing I learned from Cat Bordhi was to tighten up, you pull not the next stitch but the one after that. That would be your 3rd stitch in, just a slight tug before continuing.
New techniques can be frustrating, but I think you’re doing great.
After I finish this big project, I’d like to try brioche too. 🙂