I was somewhere in my early teens. All the women in my family knitted, crocheted, sewed and did needle work, but it hadn't entered my hyper busy little world (no patience). But one day my grandmother was knitting a lovely lacy mohair shawl, and I knew I absolutely had to have one. She said, well if you want one, you'd better learn how to knit. So she taught me to knit and pearl, bought me some pretty pink mohair and some size 15 aluminum needles and within a week I had my pretty shawl. I also found that I actually did have some patience. :o)