I think both are very valuable skills. I learned how to knit from my grandmother. The thought of having to learn knitting from a book seems very difficult, however; that is how I started to quilt. Now I wasn't very good until I took a class on quilting, however; I was doing it. I don't know how well I would be at knitting if I only had a book. My thoughts are maybe take the knitting class and find a second hand book on quilting, something easy, such as log cabin perhaps, and learn as you go. Either class is very valuable though. I have taken four classes on quilting so far and they have made such a difference.