E.,
I have just started over the last 24 hours to train my 22 month old. I say go for it. I disagree with a number of the responders about allowing your child to tell you when they are ready. Think about it this way, if your in your late 20's or 30's chances are you were trained by the time you were 2. Sure, your parents probably had to help you get your pants on and off, and you may have needed a diaper still at night, just in case, but you knew when you needed to urinate and someone made sure you got there. And your parents were likely trained by 15 months and there's even sooner. Most literature on the subject will tell you that kids were trained during infancy until 1961 when Pampers paid T. Berry Brazelton to do a study, think there may have been a little conflict of interest here? I wish I had started reading about potty training before the kids came as I would do EVERYTHING differently. This is going to be a matter of training you as well as your daughter. Also keep in mind that the chemical released from wet diapers that our children sit in (because even the most active parents isn't changing their baby/toddler every time a little urine hits the diaper)is what causes toxic shock syndrome, and this seeps into their pores, etc. Talk about unhealthy!
I've done tons of reading on the subject matter over the last week, and here is what we are trying. We took the diaper off and put Bailey in a gerber training pant. Basically cotton underwear with a little extra padding. I am setting a timer and every 20 minutes we try using the potty. Half the time we make it there and celebrate, the other half we have an accident so I change her clothes and in a neutral voice I tell her that it is okay and just to let me know when she needs to Pee. Be very specific with the language you use and use it consistantly. Give lots of hugs and encouragement when she does go and don't get angry if there is a problem. Just change her, and wash the clothes. This isn't going to happen over night and there will be problems. We are still wearing diapers at night and nap time, although Bailey is dry most of the time upon waking.
We also went and bought some special panties that she can wear when things work, one accident and I put the gerber pants back on. DO NOT USE PULL UPS, they are just like diapers and if there is an accident quite difficult to clean up. My daughters problem is that until now she never knew what it was like to feel wet. I've always had her in Pampers Cruisers and I've never had a leak, they work almost too well! Accidents will let your daughter learn about wet and dry. My son is 11 months old and if I had to do things over again I would have used cloth with both kids.
Oh, one other thing. The reason your better starting right before 2 is that while most have learned the word NO, they aren't quite as good with it as 6 months from now. I just purchased some dresses with matching pants/loose tights from Hannah Anderson as they should be easy for little ones to learn to take on and off on their own, and also keep warm during these winter months. Good luck to you and let's keep in touch and compare notes.
T.