This lacy, surprisingly easy pattern from 1837 The Ladies Knitting and Netting Book by Miss Watts isn’t at all sinister! To me, it looks like tiny hearts. Miss Watts intended this stitch for a bag and it would make a nice, mesh bag. This pattern is reversible (all knit stitches) and has a 2-stitch, 2-row repeat. I put a single selvage stitch on each end for a tidier edge; you can omit those, if you like.

Double: On the first row, each knit stitch is worked with a double wrap of yarn around the needle. Cross: On the second row, the extra wraps are dropped (not worked). Pairs of stitches are then crossed (worked out of order) to create the pattern. This is almost identical to “Indian Cross” stitch except, in this pattern, only 2 stitches are crossed at a time. See notes for more details.

Skills needed: cast on, slip, knit, wrap yarn twice while working a knit stitch, cross stitches and bind off in knit stitch.

Gauge is not important in this pattern. Any block-able yarn/thread will work. Make a swatch to check gauge and appearance.

46 yards of #10 crochet thread will make 10 inches of a 22-stitch-wide strip in the stated gauge.