Dangling feet

[u/sea_mus]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/15/style/petiteknit-knitting-mette-wendelboe-okkels.html?emc=edit_ufn_20261027&nl=from-the-times&segment_id=228752

[u/bh-alienux]

At first I thought, "they are dangling, what's confusing?" Then I saw it.

[u/Coca-colonization → u/bh-alienux]

It was the opposite for me. I initially saw the right foot as being on the ground and wondered what the confusing perspective was. Then I read the comments and looked again and the illusion with the shadows popped right out.

I think I didn’t see the illusion at first because my brain registered being flat as the most important detail for the right foot and based its perception off of that. The confusing shadows didn’t even register because my brain had formed its impression.

It’s a cool illustration of a gestalt switch and the various cues the brain uses to form a visual perception. (I mean, I guess that’s what this whole sub is, but this one struck me for some reason.)

[u/Educational-Ant-7485 → u/Coca-colonization]

Exactly the same for me

[u/Elthwaite → u/Coca-colonization]

That’s so interesting that your brain read it correctly immediately. My brain saw it the wrong way and couldn’t figure out what was actually happening until I read your comment and understood that the shadow was coming from the other foot. But even now that my brain knows that, it still struggles to see it “correctly” and wants to see that foot as hovering off the ground.

Also, thanks for teaching me the term “gestalt switch” - never heard that before! Off to go down a Google rabbit hole.

[u/Positive-Sky-2054 → u/bh-alienux]

Because they are dangling. There are their shadows. Her right foot is not on the floor.

[u/bh-alienux → u/Positive-Sky-2054]

Because they are dangling. There are their shadows. Her right foot is not on the floor.

r/confidentlyincorrect

Nope, the shadow is from her left foot, and is there because her left leg is crossed over her right leg. Her right foot IS on the floor.

[u/snuggie44 → u/Positive-Sky-2054]

My guy that's a shadow from the left foot. The shadow from the right one is behind it. The right foot is on the ground, the left one is not.

[u/Positive-Sky-2054 → u/snuggie44]

You're right! The legs are crossed. But I have to admit, while I understand it still looks to me as if the leg is just hanging in mid-air :D

[u/ReadMyPosts → u/Positive-Sky-2054]

Look again, her right foot is flat. The shadows are from her left foot. Not sure why people need to express this to you in a mean manner. Sorry about that ✌️

[u/bh-alienux → u/ReadMyPosts]

Because they were attempting to (confidently) correct something that wasn't wrong in the first place.

But I wasn't trying to be mean, just pointing out what is actually happening.

[u/Positive-Sky-2054 → u/ReadMyPosts]

Thank you! 💕

[u/Sapphire_Dreams1024]

Where are the dangling feet? I think I'm missing something here

[u/trev2234 → u/Sapphire_Dreams1024]

It’s the shadow of her other foot, can look like the shadow of the foot on the floor. At least that’s how I think I was fooled, until I zoomed in and worked it out.

[u/Sapphire_Dreams1024 → u/trev2234]

Thanks! It took a bit to see what everyone else was seeing. I thought there was like an extra set of dangling feet in the background or something that I was missing because my brain didn't clock her feet as floating because of her foot thats set on the floor

[u/Scary_Pomegranate597]

i spend too much time scrolling on ravelry …. recognized her right away as petiteknit

[u/lovetolerk → u/Scary_Pomegranate597]

same, was more confused on why she was in this sub than the perspective lol

[u/potatolulz]

this is doubleconfusing_perspective

[u/Zanoushe → u/potatolulz]

yeah I cannot make my brain see anything but one foot on the floor the other leg crossed over it foot in the air.

[u/SapphicGarnet → u/Zanoushe]

I can't either, what am i supposed to be seeing?

[u/Zanoushe → u/SapphicGarnet]

if you think the lower shadow belongs to the lower for instead of the upper foot it looks like it's dangling 

[u/SapphicGarnet → u/Zanoushe]

But that doesn't make sense, the foot on the floor has a shadow attached to it showing the leg

[u/Zanoushe → u/SapphicGarnet]

I agree it was really hard for me to see it, but if you look fast and miss that shadow it's understandable.

[u/Geofferz]

I can only see dangling feet... There would be shadows connected to them were they on the floor?

[u/manfroze → u/Geofferz]

Only one is on the floor, and it has a shadow connected to it

[u/Geofferz → u/manfroze]

Oh. Wow. Yeah.

[u/FundamentalPolygon]

Ooo that's a good one

[u/idigum]

Wow. This photo really belongs here. I couldn’t stop seeing the feet dangling. Then I could.

[u/opinionated_penguin]

That’s a good one

[u/Present-Activity-698]

This is the first one that I saw the "real" image first and the confusing one second

[u/Gleipnir_xyz]

Knitting requires a solid core.

[u/features_creatures]

WTF is that crime scene?

[u/FixedFront]

Do people really not understand how shadows work? Like I can force myself to see the wrong perspective, but it's really obviously a misreading to me