You may call me the Eyelet Queen

There are quite a lot of different ways to set eyelets. I have used a cheap little hand punch one before, but it never gave very good results. However after eyeleting about 100 little holes over the past few days, I'm pretty sure I have mastered this better method.

You need: Something to eyelet, I was doing a corset toile,

Some eyelets,

Same number again of washers,

A solid base for hammering onto,

A hammer,

An eyelet base,

An eyelet steadying stick thing.

First make a hole, I used a hefty metal hole punch, but you can ease the fabric threads aside or very carefully use scissors. Then push the eyelet through the hole, make sure the right side is on the right side.

Now place the eyelet, still in the fabric, onto the eyelet base so that the front sits neatly in the little dent.

Place the washer over the top of the wrong side. It needs to be the way up so that it makes a little circular trough, this gives a place for the squashed eyelet to sit.

If you get it the wrong way round (like I did when I wasn't paying attention) it looks messy and isn't as strong, use some small pliers, carefully ease the pieces apart and start again.

Place the small end of the stick thing into the eyelet over the washer, and give it a few raps with the hammer.

It should now look like the top two eyelets in this picture. If it sticks up too much, put the stick back on and hammer it some more.

Now turn it over and tah-dah! Neat little holes, perfect for lacing.