Diane, take a piece of backing (so you can see what's happening) and start it on a pencil like it's tying thread. Now do a whip finish on the pencil with the wraps progressing backwards and tighten. Now do the same thing with the wraps progressing from back to front. You should see why starting at the back and moving forward is better. If you start at the eye and wrap backwards your whip finish has a glaring weekness.

I know that's about as clear as mud, but it's a hard thing to describe. I tried to take photos of it once for someone else, but I couldn't get it to come out right.

Jeremy