I buy a lot of fabric at Thrift Stores. Mens' PJ's ( flannel ) are great for a winter quilt. Wool from many mens' jackets are great for penny placements, etc. I find a large variety of these and have cut & sort by color in baskets. Shirts which are 100% cotton are great for quilts in mens' and womens sizes. Sometimes you can find these pjs for .50 each. I use the plastic cutting mats, front & back of notebooks, covered social studies boards, etc. All of these are great for bottom of purses. The idea of using plastic canvas is great to. So many good ideas on this site.