I’ve always been one of those people who either figure it out myself, or look up how to do something. Especially with knitting. I started knitting in 2003, and the online community wasn’t very big. (In fact- I didn’t even know any kind of online help existed. I thought the extent of my resources were books, pestering the old people at the yarn store, and maybe pestering those guys who knit at the fire station near my house.)
As a result- when I needed to do something (like going from dpns to a circular needle for knitting in the round) – I just did it. It wasn’t a matter of ‘How do I’, it was more of ‘figure it out, because I’m not knitting anything else on DPNs’. That turned out to be kind of a lie, because I still used DPNs when the circumference of the hat was too small to stay on a circular needle; but a few rounds on a DPN is better than doing a whole hat on DPNs (IMO). So I see all of these forum posts on Ravelry about people asking a million ‘How to go from DPNs to Circulars’ questions, and I honestly don’t understand the hesitation. You just do it. Necessity is the mother of invention. I’m aware that some of my early hats were knit inside out. One was even knit left to right with the right side facing me. (I’m really not sure how I did that. I couldn’t duplicate it if I tried.) But the point is- I figured it out.
There just seems to be a lot of people out there who are afraid to try. It’s just a hook and some string, or two needles and some string. You shouldn’t be afraid to try anything. Because even if you mess it up- it’s still just a hook or needles and some string. You are smarter than a hook/two needles and some string. I know some days it doesn’t feel like it, but you are.
Now sure- there are techniques that you may want to look up. Or take a class on. Or maybe you are not satisfied with the way you do something. But wanting to take a class, or not being satisfied, is not the same as being afraid to try.
I have a few projects in my head. They are terribly complicated colorwork and will take forever to do. But I want to do them. I’ll probably swear off the rest of them, after I complete one, but at least I will have completed the one. I’m not afraid to try them.
Having said all this- I still have a fear of steeking. And yes- I know that it is still just 2 needles, some scissors, and some string, but I just don’t want to do all that work and watch it unravel. That is my idea of a knitter’s horror movie. BUT – there is a pattern Steek This Coffee Cozy that I will probably do, as my first steeking project. This way- if it unravels- it’s not a WHOLE SWEATER!!!! *shudder*
Duck And Cover 
I was eyeballing that same pattern for exactly the same reason!!! I have a feeling that it’ll be just ….. *wrong*…. to take scissors to a finished knit piece.
Love this outlook! After a couple tries over the years, I finally started knitting at the beginning of this year for real. I started with the basics, practiced a bunch on a scarf and some scraps and since then I’ve just had at it, no fear. I’ve very much figured it out as I went along, using books, some advice from my mom, and then graduating to online videos. The crazy thing is I’ve long been a perfectionist (something I’ve been trying to let go of for years), but with knitting I’ve been able to just let it go and do it. What’s the worst that could happen? I have to rip out some rows. Whatever.
Although I’ll admit I’m not to the steeking level yet. Now THAT does seem scary. 😀
My learning process has been much the same. I remember teaching myself the basic stitches by following the illustrations in an old “learn to knit” booklet. Later, I learned a lot from knitty.com as I tackled dpns and new techniques. There’s still a ton of stuff I find intimidating, but nothing that I’m afraid to try! There is something to be said for just getting your hands on it and working through it.
I knitted a lot of stuff inside out initially, too. Didn’t even realize it!