Instructions
Speak with Geofram Bouldertoe if you are an Alliance character or Makaru if a Horde character to learn the mining profession. With this ability, you can mine your own resources, which helps you to forge more items, thus improving your skill faster.
Go to an inn located in a major city near a forge, such as one of the inns of Ironforge, and speak with the innkeeper to set the area as your "hearthing" location. Every player has a hearthstone, and using it teleports the character to their hearth location. If you can easily hearth to an area close to a forge, you can avoid long treks to convert your materials to products.
Forge items from your blacksmithing menu that are written in orange text. These items are guaranteed to increase your level by at least one, whereas yellow and green items are less likely and gray items will never improve your skill level.