Attempt at a swatch (gauge)

A while ago, I picked up some yarn with this project in mind.  

I did it all wrong.  

Well, maybe not all, but mostly wrong.  Certainly, if I list wrong vs right, the wrong side is much longer.  

right

1. I went to the store in the country with the good colour selection
   

wrong

1. I went to the store with a non-knitter, who maybe didn't want to spend 3 hours in the shop
2. As a direct result of 1., I left the shop after exactly 1/2 hour
3. I didn't have a colour scheme in mind
4. I didn't have a budget in mind
5. I didn't have a pattern in mind
6. I bought yarn, but not enough for a whole sweater
7. I bought two different thicknesses of yarn
8. I only bought close colours; no compliments
9. I didn't buy enough colours to make a sweater anyway
10. The colours I did buy aren't actually distinguishable from each other when they're knit together
11. I had no realistic way to return to the shop to get the required "rest of the sweater" after I'd swatched with the stuff I did get
12. I had no reason to expect the shop to have more or a different or better selection the next time I passed through, or indeed at any time in the future
13. I might have been swayed by some sale prices

Yeah, so wrong wins.  

Undaunted, I did give swatching the old college try.   I'll write about that next time.