Utility blocks are blocks that are used to create or modify items. They let you make tools, items, armor and more. A crafting table or a furnace are examples of utility blocks.
A crafting table is crafted by using the recipe below and 4 wood planks.
Crafting tables are very useful. They let you create almost anything. The crafting table creates a 3x3 crating space, lets you craft tools and items, progress through the levels of tools (iron pickaxe to diamond pickaxe) and crafting other utility blocks.
A furnace is crafted using 8 cobblestone. Those cobblestone are placed in in every grid space EXCEPT FOR the center. It can only be made with a crafting table.
The furnace is used to smelt raw materials into ones that can be used for crafting. For example, if you mine coal and iron (See "Ores" for more details), the iron will show as "Raw Iron". After smelting the iron, that iron can be used to create iron tools, armor and any other things that require iron.
A brewing stand is crafted using one blaze rod, which is found in the Nether, and 3 cobble stone. It can only be crafted using a crafting table and is crafted as shown below.
The brewing stand allows you to create potions. They are very complex and require many materials to create them. Some useful potions that you can make are Potions of Healing, Strength and Invisibility. There are also ways to change how the potion is used (Splash and Lingering Potions) and how long the potion lasts.