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@moth
If you look along the nipples in the direction of rotation, big gaps are formed between leading and trailing spokes. In a conventional cross pattern wheel the spokes go: leading spoke, medium gap, leading spoke, big gap, trailing spoke, medium gap, trailing spoke, small gap, and back to leading spoke...
It's easiest to lace up the 'head out' spokes first, so decide whether you'd like them to be trailing or leading, then that and the above pattern will decide which of the two holes nearest the valve hole is the first hole to lace. Examining that hole in the rim will then tell you whether to lace the drive or non-drive side first. *
Align the hub label with the valve hole and on the side you are starting with find the hub flange hole that most closely aligns with the first rim hole. That is hole 0. Counting away from the label, place the first spoke though hole n for an n-cross wheel, and secure it though the first rim hole with a nipple. Lace up all the 'head out' spokes on that side. Lace all the head out spokes on the other side, starting one hole away from the valve hole so that there are now two spokes to one side of the valve hole and two empty holes on the other side.
You can let the hub rotate so the spokes lie radially while you're doing that, and as long as you rotate it the right way when you come to lace the 'head in' spokes the pattern will be set as you want it. (Align hub label with valve hole again as you lace the first 'head in' spoke.)