For this piece, I have added Mistyfuse to the back of my fabrics. These are cut up randomly and arranged on the batting - then fused in place. This creates a nice smooth background for my printing.
This is a bit of deviation from my usual approach. I usually do the collage background by attaching the fabric pieces to a fusible batting - which results in loose edges where the fabrics overlap. I have been doing a free motion zig zag around the fabric pieces to attach them more firmly, but this results in an irregular surface for printing and the prints can turn out kind of wonky in the recessed areas where there is stitching. I get blobs of paint where excess bleeds through the Thermofax screen.
I have been reluctant to pre-fuse all my fabrics on account of the huge amount of Mistyfuse it takes. I don't know yet if it is worth it - but at this point, I am appreciating the nice smooth surface I have for printing!
I think this is a good deviation. I've always wondered about the downside of the other method. I really like the feel of this collaged background.
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