Simple winter knits for beginners

Over the past few winters I've been practicing my knitting.  I was taught to knit originally by my grannie when I was younger, so I knew the basics, but I had never really practiced until I became interested again a few years ago.  I have been buying wool and needles from markets and op shops and teaching myself using youtube.  

I never like to spend time practicing something just for the sake of it, I like to make something that I can use, so I have been trying to find things to make that help me to refine my technique, but are also simple and ultimately useful.  Obviously I can't launch into huge projects while I'm still struggling to knit consistently and neatly, but I managed to find a few small things to knit that have really helped me to gain the confidence to make something larger.

This is what I made this winter to practice before I make something bigger.

Here's what I have come up with as suggestions for beginner knitters to practice:

1. Headband or ear-warmer - this can be as simple as a strip of 10-15 stitches knitted in either garter stitch or stockinette stitch, keep going until it reaches around your head and then stitch the ends together to form a band.  For something different you can add stripes of colours, or try a fancy knitting stitch.
2. Button-up snood - this is just a short scarf (you could make a scarf, but that takes longer!), again, you can add stripes or fancy stitches.  I took the opportunity to practice ribbing at each end and added button holes.  I started with 30 stitches and knitted until it was long enough to go around my neck.
3. Snood in the round - a great way to experiment with needles "in the round" is to knit up a simple snood.  If you get it twisted, its called a helical snood (great for covering mistakes!).
4. Arm-warmers - this is a great way to practice knitting on double-pointed needles.  Just make a hole for the thumbs using the same technique as for a button-hole.  I like to add stripes to this one too, but could also be done with a fancy stitch.  Ribbing at the top stops the top from folding over.
5. Tablet or phone cover - we bought a new tablet and I decided to knit a cover for it instead of buying a cover.  I just knitted a long strip in the right size and sewed up the seams.  Again, you can add whatever techniques you need to practice.
6. Socks - this might seem like an odd one for beginners, but after you've figured out double-pointed needles, you have most of the skills to finish socks as well, you just have to really concentrate on the pattern!

Lately I have been side-tracked with crochet, so I haven't knitted anything bigger yet.  I am wearing my arm-warmers and ear warmer as I type though!

What do you think is a good project for learning to knit?