As a beginning knitter, I love Erika Knight's books because so many of her patterns involve basic stitches but produce elegant results. The first half of the book is educational, with discussions of yarns, diagrams of techniques, and a visual stitch dictionary.
List of projects:
Muffler
Dishcloth
Fold-over pillow
Notebook
Shopper
Stripe pillow
Stripe throw
Pull-on hats
Rag bag
Mittens
Round pillow
Two-needle socks
Four-needle socks
Cable scarf
Cable hot-water bottle cover
Color-block throw
Fair isle pincushion
Rose teapot cozy
Woman's V-neck sweater
Woman's pocket cardigan
Comment
Simple Knitting