Over the years I’ve read that many knitters do not knit doilies because they do not know how to crochet, that is, to work a crochet chain bind off as required to finish the vast majority of the cloths on this blog. However, knitting needles can be used to work an identical chain. To create such a chain:

  1. Gather first group of stitches indicated by numbers above chart or after last pattern line: Rather than using a crochet hook to draw a loop through multiple stitches, instead knit them together as follows. For odd numbers of stitches, use a variation of the central double decrease. For 5 stitches, slip 3 stitches together knitwise, knit 2 stitches together, pass 3 slipped stitches over. For 7 stitches, slip 4 stitches together knitwise, knit 3 stitches together, pass 4 slipped stitches over. For even numbers of stitches, slip half the stitches together knitwise, knit the other half of the stitches together, pass slipped stitches over.
  2. *Yarn over: Wrap yarn counterclockwise around needle (which, however, creates a loop that winds in the opposite direction from that created with a crochet hook). Then pull the previous stitch over; repeat from * for number of chains required. To create a loop identical to that worked with a crochet hook, yarn over in reverse, that is, wrap yarn clockwise around needle, then pass previous stitch over.

Note that I cannot locate where I read of this technique. I cannot find it in either of Mary Thomas’ knitting books, nor in Therese DeDillmont’s Encyclopedia Of Needlework. It may be in one of the books I have in storage. However, I do remember experimenting with the technique while reading a book and noticing the differences between the reverse yarn over and the normal yarn over being minimal.