(1) If the surface of the rug doesn't have the "velvet look"... Remember to shear in the three levels. Trying to achieve the final results in one try will cause more problems than you will want. Work slowly, evenly and consistently. If you have cleaned properly, than your shearing is to blame. Keep your left hand flat under the backing, holding the scissors with your right hand, use a circular motion when shearing. Work in a small area back and forth with the sides of your scissors overlapping one area to the next. Remember to scrape the nap with the side of your scissors between the different levels of shearing.

Use the moon shape to smooth and clean yarn by scraping the yarn

(2) Crocheting is always done with the finished side of the rug facing up. The short side of you rug lying over you lap. Start in the upper right hand corner 2-3 holes down and one (1) hole in from the edge corner. (3) If you want to reduce your wooly debris place a sheet over your lap before you start cleaning, shearing , defining and sculpting

(4) If the hemmed edge is frayed and fuzzes up showing after punched... You can very carefully trim the fuzz before punching making sure not to cut the string backing. Double punch the area to increase the yarn so that the white fuzz is no longer visible.

(5) If you forget what color to whip stitch the edge... Always whip stitch the edge with the color indicated on the color guide that will be punched up to the edge. Be sure to double your thread so that it actually covers the edge. Make sure you whip stitch before you punch the outer area. If you punch first you will have difficulty keeping the cut loops out of the actual whip stitches.

(6) Did you know that flossing your scissors with waxed dental floss around the screw will help keep your scissors working properly?

(7) Remember the clock positions... Are you keeping the needle facing the direction you are punching? The channel faces 11 o’clock punching away from you, and 7 o’clock punching towards yourself. (Left handed persons 1 and 5 o’clock.) This creates the knap which is vital to the look of your rug.

(8) If there are ridges on the surface of the rug after shearing... This occurs when the loops have been cut on a slant instead of right down the middle. To correct these lines on the rug, remove the offensive row and replace it, if you are unable to sheer it out.

(9) If after cutting your loops they won't stand up straight... This occurs because you do not pull the yarn out of the center of the skein and wrap it around the outside of the skeins to take the kinks out. Don’t worry if you have kinks it can be steamed out with a iron. Wool has a memory and will keep the kinks unless steamed out. When you pull the center yarn out of the skein it will be stretched straight by wrapping it around the outside of skein.

(10) If loops are short and uneven... Check to be sure that you are punching all the way down to the base of the needle handle for it is your loop gauge. It should be meeting the backing each time you punch. Check to be sure the yarn is free flowing and not restrained by objects such as your scissors or under your hand.

(11) If you miss a hole or pull a stitch out... Placed the threaded punch into the hole before the empty one of the same color only, and then into the empty hole and on into the next full stitch. You can also fill an empty stitch with a simple lock stitch, using only 2 holes instead of one. Remember, you can only place one color into one hole. Placing two different colors in one hole will obscure the outline.

(12) If the back of your rug is not as smooth as it should be... You should be able to see the backing thread between every row on the vertical rows clearly. If this is not the case, you are not lifting the loops tightly enough. You can use quite a bit of stress when lifting the loops. Also, your punch point may be coming out of the holes too high when you are punching from hole to hole. The punch tip should not be lifted off the backing when you are punching.

(13) If the lock stitch keeps coming out of the backing... You are probably pulling the loop out when you lift out the needle and cut the yarn. To avoid, pull the needle 1/2 way out and from the back side of the shaft on the needle point, you will see a loop forming. With your left hand (Right Hand), hold this loop and remove the needle completely from the hole. Keep holding the loop while you drop your punch and pick up your scissors to cut the yarn from the backside of the run. Pull the remaining yarn stub through to the finished side of your rug with your thumb and index finger.

(14) If you find lots of uncut loops after the initial screening... Your cleaning is at fault here. Clean in the grid manner. This is done by sliding the double pointed needle along every row horizontally and vertically, lifting each strand straight up, separating all colors and defining each pattern.

(15) If yarn is coming out of the punch... The circular tab part of your needle is probably bent forward and needs to be returned to the original position. The end circular hole on the tab should be below the shaft tunnel in line with the back of the shaft. If this does not solve the problem contact Oriental Rug Designs for a replacement punch. Another reason could be the needle isn't held straight up and down (it can be tipped from side to side however not forward or backward). You are probably tipping it backward to see the line. Also, if you punch too slowly the yarn will come out.