While cheerily playing with the idea of coming up with a really simple foot covering and using the technique of back and forth knitting (leaving needles in right and left hand and just knitting back and forth without switching them) it suddenly occurred to me that the gauge on the purl row (hidden, because the knit row is always facing) would be tighter than the knit row because the purl row stitch is formed on the tip of the needle, as shown. (The left hand needle is put into the back of the stitch, the wool wrapped from front to back, as shown, and the stitch on left hand needle lifted over the wrapped wool: it is slow knitting at its best.) Not likely by much but the idea of it intrigued me and I had to look more closely.
I could see a difference – well, sort of. When I squinted it became more obvious…….
Turned over and the ‘hidden’ side revealed … with more squinting … resulted in a sigh, a grin, and a return to knitting…………