Scrapbooking paper piercing mistakes are scary. You can't erase them, and if you were working on an intricate pattern, covering them up isn't an option either. The best way to avoid paper piercing mistakes is to take extra precaution and apply some preventative measures. Here are 7 of the most common scrapbooking paper piercing mistakes to avoid and how to avoid them.

1) The shifting pattern.

In our hastiness we often don't take the time to properly adhere our paper piercing pattern to our paper. Lining the pattern up the same way again can prove tricky. This is why there is removable tape! Carefully tape the pattern to the paper, making sure all of the corners and the middles of the papers are secured to one another. Some people actually take extra precaution and use pins to adhere the sheets or paper together. Since it's a paper piercing project, the pin perforations can just be incorporated into the design!

2) Unrecognizable design.

You have spent over an hour piercing together an intricate design of a beautiful grouping of flowers. You were using a pattern you copied from a magazine. You're finally finished. You pull the pattern away and... all you see are dozens of tiny holes that amount to nothing. How to avoid the unrecognizable design mistake? Simple is always better. Avoid large patterns where you have overlapping lines and shapes. These do not translate well into paper piercing. Choose patterns you have seen used before. Consider purchasing patterns made specifically for paper piercing projects.

3) Ripping.

This is one mistake that can't really be saved. How to avoid a nice tear in your paper? By taking it slow, using sturdy paper, and by not pulling at the paper while you are perforating it with a needle. Also, make sure your needle is sharp. Remember to replace it once in a while! It makes a big difference.

4) Punching holes too far apart.

This is at least one mistake that can generally be saved. However, consider before you begin just exactly how far apart the holes should be to make the visual impact you are looking for. Holes too far apart may seem random and meaningless. Fix it by going back over the pattern and placing holes in between the ones you already punched.

5) Punching holes too close together.

Again, avoid this by making the decision about how far apart to punch the holes beforehand. Holes punched too close together can looked cramped and messy. Practice on a scrap piece of paper first to see how the pattern appears. Consider fixing holes too close together by connecting them with a small-tipped pen or marker, or sprinkling embossing glitter over them to make the mistake look intentional.

6) Uneven holes.

To make each and every hole uniform with the next, hold the needle straight down, never at an angle. Make sure your needle is nice and sharp. If you switch out needles midway through the project, be sure that your new needle is the exact same size. Uneven holes make any paper piercing project seem sloppy. Also, make sure the pad beneath your paper remains the same. Different pads can actually cause different sized holes.

7) Crooked lines.

If you attached your pattern even the slightest bit off kilter, your lines will come out uneven. Unless you can take the lines and somehow turn them into another design, you pretty much have to start over again. Consider purchasing a craft mat with a grid so that you are always in line. A grid is the best way to make sure your paper is square and your designs are perfectly aligned.