This is a neat way to finish doilies, shawls etc, instead of crochet loops.
Another, perhaps less fiddly, way of adding loops can be seen here.
Shown with a cast-on count of 42 stitches.
1 2 3 4 5 Horizontal repeats
1 2 3 4 5 Vertical repeats
Swatch photo uploaded by chrisfourfalcon