I am a woodworking Grandmother. I started building my own furniture as a young bride out of necessity: no funds, design junkie, father was a builder. I started out with a hammer and a drill, then a circular saw, then I asked for a miter saw for Mother's Day one year, and got a pneumatic finish nailer for Christmas another year. I picked up a router along the way, and inherited a router table, drill press, band saw and lathe from my father-in-law. (My husband made me pass up the planer & jointer, which both ultimately went off in a truck full of junk to the dump - I have yet to forgive him for this :) I originally bought the smallest version of the Kreg jig, then graduated to the larger model (TIP: save your money, girls, and buy the biggest one - it will make your projects so much easier.) I have been a professional dressmaker/seamstress for over 30 years. Sewing and woodworking are so similar to each other that it was a logical jump from one to the other. I have built furniture from my own plans for my family and friends.