My DS started walking at 14.5 months but I am posting because you could be describing his pre-walking behaviour exactly - he was cruising around the furniture by about 7 months of age (he didn't start crawling till 11 months - he's always been a bit of an opposite boy like that). Everyone said to me "oh, early walker, he'll just skip crawling" but it didn't work out that way. I was starting to get worried just because he'd been cruising for so long. Wouldn't let go of the furniture at all.

One day he simply got up and walked and that was it. There was no transitional phase of just a few independent steps...he simply got up and did it and that was it. Next morning, got him out of his cot, and he walked to the kitchen for his breakfast (complete with great big cheesy proud grin!) No more crawling, no more cruising. I couldn't believe how sudden it was.

It's not time to start worrying until about 18 months (or at least the MCHN will worry), and as some of the girls here have already said, it can be even later. I know it's hard not to be impatient, it's such a big milestone in your life as well as his. One of my girlfriends has had 2 babies and one walked at 18 months and the other at 19 months. Both very intelligent kids.