you want to start by putting your hand underneath the backing and to get started you always want to punch hold it in your lap and punch away from you first making sure there's only an inch underneath you want to go you go into one hole you turn the needle downward to a number seven position of the clock turn it back up to to 11 and then continue to go straight down the row if you push it all the way to the hub which is the beginning of the wood handle and you never take it off the backing you will get nice clean loops on the backside