This is based off of the antique pattern “Pyrenees Knit Scarf” on pages 36-38 of The Lady’s Assistant for Executing Useful and Fancy Designs in Knitting, Netting, and Crochet Work, volume 1, by Jane Gaugain, published in 1840. The original was perhaps 2 feet wide and 7.5 feet long, knitted on US 5 needles, with lace patterning on every row.

I decided to do a simpler version of this scarf, narrower and shorter like a modern scarf. I also thought it might be useful to make this a one-skein project.

This scarf pattern originally had stripes, but Knit Picks Chroma Twist has gradual color changes, which I thought was perfect for this pattern.

I simplified the pattern by making every WS row purled with garter stitch borders rather than lace patterning on every row. The original also had two different versions of a left-slanted decrease, and the difference between them was very minor, so I have combined them so that there is only ssk in the pattern. Since I’m using only one skein of fingering weight yarn, I switched to larger needles and did fewer repeats of the 20-stitch center panel pattern so the scarf would be narrower.

I renumbered the rows because it was confusing to me to have odd numbered rows be wrong side rows. So now, what is row 1 in the pattern is the set-up row, and row 2 in the pattern is row 1 in my written instructions.