eyelets - what am I doing wrong?

[guinness]

well after noo noo's thread about eyelets, i bit the bullet and bought that pretty floral hammer / craft tool and pack of eyelets from Lakeland.
However, I think I'm an idiot - I can't get the hole punches to work!
is it literally just a case of bashing the b*ggery out of it? I hit it really hard and just get a little round dent in the card - not good.
I should say I havent got a proper mat; is this what I am doing wrong?
please help a durr-brain damsel!

[Lois Lane]

I tend to whack the cr@p out of it before I can get a good hole (sounds rude! ) I also find they work better on a proper setting mat - designed to use with eyelets, as they are firmer.

[noo noo]

I have found it really difficult! Especially in compariston to the Silent Setter that I borrowed from my mum. Wish now I'd waited and bought one of those.

[silverpod]

I would say that you need a proper mat to help. I don't know if a mouse mat would help? That might be too soft. You can normally get mats a lot cheaper in shops like 'the works'. I don't have that particular hammer but I do use the hammer system and find a good whack helps. Practice a bit on plain paper and then card.

well after noo noo's thread about eyelets, i bit the bullet and bought that pretty floral hammer / craft tool and pack of eyelets from Lakeland.

But at least you have a pretty hammer to look at, mine is rather functional.

SP

[noo noo]

I got my mat in Poundland!

[MaisyMay]

A proper setting mat and a hard flat surface. I don't find I need to whack much at all. I set on my craft table, which is an old table topped with a sheet of MDF - so really firm, hard and flat!

This all sounds very rude!

[guinness]

looks like another trip to poundland is in order then, oh dammit...
it's really hard as i tend to do my crafting when Ben is in bed, for obvious reasons - whacking and thumping away when there is a sleeping baby around is proving just a tad tricky....