If you know the basics but need a refresher as you build your skills, pick up Knitting VISUAL Quick Tips by Sharon Turner. This great little book is portable and includes a solid index and many photographs (at least one on each page). Whenever I am far away from my The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting: *All You Need to Know to Knit *The Essential Reference for Novice and Expert Knitters *Packed with Hundreds of ... and Photos for 200 Stitch Patterns but need a reference as I work through a new pattern or project, I turn to Knitting VISUAL Quick Tips.
The chapters include:
Knitting Necessities (needles, accessories, yarn, etc.)
Casting On (5 methods)
Knitting, Purling, and Slipping Stitches (English and Continental, joining yarn)
Binding Off Stitches (knitwise, purlwise, in pattern, in knitted cord, and 3-needle bind off)
Correcting Mistakes (twisted stitch, incomplete stitch, dropped stitches of various kinds, unraveling)
Reading Written Instructions (pattern basics, gauge, sizing, charts)
Stitch Patterns and Maneuvers (simple patterns, selvages, bobbles, back of loop, cables)
Knitting in the Round (circulars and double pointed needles, translating instructions from flat to circular, tips for working in the round)
Shaping
Color Knitting (horizontal stripes, Fair Isle, slip stitch, intarsia)
Finishing Techniques (seaming, blocking, assembly)
Finishing Details (primarily clothing details)
Decorative Details (pompoms, tassels, flowers, edgings, etc.)
Due to its small size, this book doesn't quite stand alone for a beginner, but it is remarkably detailed. If you are more experienced, this could probably suffice as your main "go to" knitting technique book. The book is filled with photographs but short on descriptions, so it is more of a visual reminder of your next steps. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars as a portable resource for the slightly-more than-a-beginner through intermediate knitter.