The original pattern from ca. 1896 Weldon’s Practical Needlework, vol. 9, p.14, had a 4-stitch, 20-row repeat. That’s a lot of rows for 1 repeat, so I rewrote the pattern with a 4-stitch, 12-row repeat. This easy knit-and-purl stitch pattern is reversible.
It took me about 1 hour to knit 4.6 inches of a 32-stitch-wide swatch.

Skills needed: cast on, knit, purl 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.

60 yards of Lion Brand’s 24/7 Cotton makes about 10” of a 32-stitch-wide strip in the stated gauge.