Absolutely - There was one person who did best when I physically put her hands in the right positions, and there was one who just wanted to see it and figure it out on her own. I'm a video person myself - I get caught up in paying attention to the teacher's mood - being able to rewind works much better for me.

I sort of threw myself into making things the first time around - my first project was a garter stitch in the round hat, and I hadn't really made anything at all before that except a swatch or two to learn the stitches. I think dishclothes are a good idea! But I actually don't recommend projects that go beyond one skein for new knitters because I think people burn out and get bored. All the practice and the muscle memory is good, but I think people periodically need to be able to declare victory. And, if you had bad luck and picked out yarn or needles that are not great for you, after one skein you can change it up and see if there's something better out there.