Swatching Pays

I'm a firm believer in swatching before I start a new project.  OK, I don't swatch when I'm knitting socks.  Socks are usually predictable, and I know what needle size works best for me.  Almost everything else gets at least a quick swatch.  It helps with selecting the right needle size, and sometimes it even helps with picking the right yarn.

After a fall full of fiber events, I've gathered all sorts of ideas and inspiration.  I want to cast on a dozen new projects, but I'm trying to pace myself so I picked just one and started swatching.

I thought I knew which yarn I wanted to use for this project, but as I was swatching I came up with another option.  So I knit two swatches.

I didn't even make full-blown swatches.  All it took was a few rows.  It turns out I like the second option - the red one - better.  I like the drape of the brown one and was looking forward to working with it, but this pattern has cables.  The red one gets the job because it has better stitch definition.  It pays to swatch.  Now to pick a color . . .