What do you use for the stabilizers in the bottom of the purses you all make? How much do you pay for those pieces?

What size do you use or need most often?

Where does anyone buy their plastic canvas?
WM quilt selling it, Michaels (our local one) only gets in 12 sheets a week and is telling the customers they can't order more than that!

I always use two plastic canvas sheets from Michaels, but someone posted how they used plexiglass that they had cut for them at one of the home center stores. It was really a good price for about 8 rectangular pieces.

I get mine at Joanns. They have sheets their about 1 1/2 times the regular size. I think they are about $1.50 each. I use 2 for the bottoms of my bags. I just do a running stitch around the edge and insert it into the sleeve. I have also been using the thicker fusible fleece for the outside of the bags and the thinner for the inside, handles and any pockets. Using the fleece this way it doesn't really seem like I need a bottom anymore because the are pretty firm making them this way.

I've used plastic mesh (Darice #7 mesh - aka perforated plastic).

I've heard other cutting up their old, warped cutting boards for tote bottoms!

I use foam core poster board from Hobby Lobby or the local dollar store. I make a fabric sleeve to fit snugly over it and then hot glue or slip stitch the open end closed. This is inexpensive and can be cut easily with an exacto or razor knife.

I found some plastic placemats at the thrift store and they make good bottoms too. Can double them if you want more stiffness.

I had someone at a quilt store recommend template plastic, but to be sure and round the corners so it doesn't poke through the fabric.

You can also use the corrugated plastic that everyone is using to wrap their fabric around! Just make sure to round off the corners! There is a company that sells pieces of acrylic with the sole purpose of being a bag bottom, they are called Bag-E-Bottoms. Here is another option http://www.tallpoppycraft.com/catalo...oducts_id=535.

I perosnally like using two pieces of plastic canvas cut to the size of the bottom, then tie the two together with a piece of yarn so they don't come apart. Instead of making a case for them to go in and can be removed I place them between the bottom of the bag and the lining before I sew the "turning hole" up. This way I don't have to fuss with it, it can still be washed like any other bag and the plastic will fall back in to place as you restructure the bag!

Oh and if nothing else call another non-local Michaels and see if they can order it for you! If they can then take that back to the other store as ammo to get them to order you more!

I use the Dollar Store thick plastic placemats. The mats are 2/$1 and I can get 3 bag bottoms from one.

I can't tell you the brand, but I use stuff called craft backing. It's an iron on, bu it's really stiff. Sometimes I use it on the outer shell bottom and then again on the lining bottom. The sticky is just on one side so it's great for purse bottoms