Honorificabilitudinitatibus

The dative and ablative plural of the mediaeval Latin word honorificabilitudinitas, which can be translated as “the state of being able to achieve honours”. It is also the longest word in the English language featuring alternating consonants and vowels. However, practically this word cannot be used in an actual Scrabble game because it is longer than the word length possible on a Scrabble board. ;)

And be sure to check out this 8 second clip!

I chose to so name this project as a way of honoring another member of the 50’s club and because of Nanette’s current daily regimen of chemo and radiation (consonant-vowel-consonant-vowel, etc). Something silly, perhaps, to make her smile. The eyes on the soles of the socks might help see her through this journey.

5th of Five Pairs for Nanette’s 50th Birthday

Toe Up on two short circular needles
Gusset Toe to 72 sts (will decrease to 70 sts at the heel flap)

When toe was completed, moved two stitches on each end of the sole needle to the instep needle to have a multiple of 10 for the pattern repeat

Brick Walk Pattern:
Stockinette for all the pinky-taupe stitches (main color)
Garter for all the purple-green variegated stitches (contrast color)

Working a simple mosaic on sole to keep slipped stitch row compression consistent for both instep and sole fabric.

Mosaic knitting doesn’t lend itself well to rounded shapes. I chose to use a bit of poetic license with a stylized eye motif. This motif on the soles features some twisted slipped stitches, allowing the dark colored yarn to slant in strategic spots, something that would not happen with ordinary mosaic knitting.

The brown tones in the dark variegated yarn shift to purple and wine when combined with the pinky-taupe of the main color. Interesting!

When I resumed working in the round above the heel, I worked one full repeat on the back/sole needle in plain stockinette mosaic to keep the texture smooth. Then resumed the garter st contrast. Didn’t think all those garter bumps might feel very nice inside the heel of a shoe or even wear very well.

Four full repeats of the Brick Walk chart on the leg, followed by two additional rounds of stockinette in main color.

Cuff:

• Two rounds (garter) in contrast color

• Two rounds (garter) in main color during which I decreased 4 sts evenly around to achieve a multiple of 6 sts (70 sts decreased to 66)

• Brick Wall Chart in garter st -- 2.5 repeats (through round 6)

• Two rounds (garter) in main color

• One round knitted in contrast color

• JSSBO in contrast color, purl sts only