my next knitting lesson

[blessedtosew]

I am teaching myself to knit by watching the videos on this website and by watching a CD I bought. I am trying to teach myself in a very orderly fashion. I teach math so I think that it is the mathematician and the teacher in me that is causing me to be this way. I just don't want to jump ahead and get discouraged so I am taking it one step at a time. I have already fought off a couple of discouragements that made me want to quit. I have learned to do knit stitch and purl stitch and am working a paw print dishcloth that has only knits and purls. I think I am ready to learn increases and decreases. I was looking at all the videos on this site and there are a ton of different ways to increase and decrease. Are there a couple or three that I can concentrate on learning to start with that will get me through most knitting patterns? I can't remember if it was on here or ravelry that someone recommended a scarf to me that is good for learning increases and decreases but I can't find where I saved that link . Can someone recommend a good beginner pattern that has only knits and purls with increases and decreases, but nothing else fancy? I haven't made it to cables or circular knitting yet. Thank you.