When knitting motifs/doilies most of the time you do not bind them off as you normally do. As regular bind off does not produce a beautiful finished edge. Most instructions call for finishing the item with a crochet hook. For knitters who know how to crochet that is not a problem. However, if you do not know how to crochet, the question remains, now what?
In this article I will show you how to bind off with crochet hook and join the motifs as you go, so there is no sewing involved. In addition, I will show you how to work the same process without using a crochet hook and use your knitting needles to get the same effect.
Binding off and joining with crochet hook:
- When the instructions calls for knitting a number of stitches together, i.e. k4tog. Insert the crochet hook into the number of stitches suggested, wrap yarn around hook and pull yarn through all loops on hook.
- Chain the number of stitches suggested, i.e. ch5.
- Repeat steps 1-2 until all stitches are bound.
Joining motifs with crochet hook:
- For joining subsequent motifs, start working like step 1. Make half the number of chains suggested minus 0.5 (Normally the number of chain stitches is an odd number) i.e. 5. If you are supposed to work 5 chain stitches, work ch2. Remove the hook from the last stitch. Insert the hook into the corresponding chain space of previous motif then pass the hook into the stitch.
- Make a sl st to join chain spaces. This creates chain number 3.
- Make the remaining chains i.e. ch2.
Continue the same way until all sides that need to be joined are joined then work step 1-2 to bind off all remaining stitches.
Bind off/join with knitting needles:
- Knit together the number of stitches suggested i.e. k4tog.
- Move the created stitch onto the left hand needle and knit it again. Repeat step 2 as many times as suggested i.e. ch5 (knit the created stitch 5 times)
- Repeat steps1-2 until all stitches are bound off.
Joining motifs with knitting needles:
- For joining the subsequent motifs, start working like step 1. Make half the number of chains (knit in one stitch) suggested minus 0.5 then remove the right-hand needle from the stitch. Insert the needle in the corresponding chain space of the previous motif and pass the needle back through the stitch.
- Bring the stitch up from behind and knit it. This creates the third chain.
- Move the stitch back onto left-hand needle and knit into it. Repeat the process until you have the number of suggested chains. i.e. 2 chains.
- Continue binding off the same way until all sides that need to be joined are joined then work step 1-2 to bind off all remaining stitches.
This technique creates a flat edge. It also makes it easy to join motifs without the need to sew them together.