I just made a purse today and need suggestions as what to put on the bottom of the bag. Those plastic bag bottoms are not big enough. Its just to stablize the bottom of the bag. The one thing I can think of would be a photomat cut down to the size needed. The bag is by Quilts Illustrated and its the Camilla bag.

What can you think of?

I've never made a bag, but the ladies in my bee used everything from Timtex to X-rays to screens from a DIY store for firming up and providing some stability to the bottoms of all the purses they made. And they made a lot.

My sister in law owns a shop and has my brother cut (I think) plexiglass which she wraps in material to soften corners. really very nice.

I use the plastic place mats from the Dollar Store.

Here is another one I found on line: I've not tried it. Good luck :)

http://nicolemdesign.blogspot.com/20...fast2fuse.html

I use plastic canvas

I use the plastic sheets that come in the ArtBin boxes. They are usually big enough to cut to size for a purse.

here is another one:

http://nicolemdesign.blogspot.com/20...peltex-or.html

Plastic canvas, here too.

I use plastic canvas, cutting a double layer. Then I use old left over yarn scraps or ribbon.ties from fabric bundles to hold it together via weaving. Then I make a sleeve to cover. When I wash the bags, I take the plastic canvas out and just wash the fabric pieces. Been doing this for 20 years for purses and all totes I make. Hope this helps.

I use leftover floor tiles cut to size and cover with a pillowcase style sleeve. They are working out great and I have a lot left from projects I can get two out of one square

I just use heavy cardboard.

The inner board from vinyl binders works well too. I get them at the dollar stores.

Plastic canvas works well and washes too if needed.

What great ideas! My husbnad cuts a large sheet of acrylic to the sizes I need purchased from Loew's or Home Depot. For a beach bag size it is about $3 each.

Thanks everyone! I guess I need to go to the store as I have no of the items suggested. I am going to try the plastic canvis and cardboard from vinyl binders and see which works best for my bag and the weight of the contents.

Great idea!! Thanx. . . I have lots of these.

I like my fabric purses and totes to be washable, so I use plastic canvas sheets found at thrift stores. They're flexible, but rigid enough, or it can be doubled. In the past, for similar projects: I've also used old worn out cutting mats, the 'travel' cutting boards (flexible plastic), inserts from supermarket bacon (well washed!), and $1 store plastic clip boards cut down with a router or dremal if I needed something perfectly rigid. The tops of broken plastic rubbermaid bins, or old food container lids. Another thought is to find the flexible plastic 3 ring notebooks at thrift stores...the ones where the covers are totally plastic and somewhat flexible. The regular notebooks are just plastic covered press board.. no good.

My husband has gone so far as to cut up plastic 2 litre bottles, flatten out the piece and tape to the stone floor, then turn the hair dryer on it until the heat get's it to lie flat on its own. He reshapes a lot of recycled things that way for his various boat and house projects.

Um...we like to repurpose and recycle where we can.

I've used what I call "foam board" and cut it to size. I bought it at JoAnn's.

Yes I use plastic canvas too---Pretty cheap at Hobby Lobby.

Very Neat! I love it when people think outside of the box!

I make cases similiar to a pillow case to put 1/4" plywood in, just take the plywood out and wash the purse. I have used foam core board from the Dollar Tree store too but always put in the little pillow cases for easy replacement or removal.

I use the plastic canvas too!

I go to the local sign shop and most of the time they will give you their scraps. I then cut them to fit whatever size I make and then use some of the scraps to wrap fabric on

i've used a washed and dried ice cream lid and that works well.depends on what size bag you make

Buckram is my choice. I got hooked on it when I needed to make a palm tree costume. Same as the others - encase in a sleeve for easy removal/cleaning. Much depends on the bag and its purpose. For a purse, I'd just sew it inside the lining. Most people spot clean the outside of their bags rather than wash in a machine anyway.

I use plastic canvas. They come in different weights so buy the heavier one.

I use a piece of a cardboard box and cover it with fabric, matching or coordinating, and glue it down. It works well and can be removed if I wish to launder the purse and does not cost a thing.

I use foam board that I get from the Dollar Store. I cover with fabric leaving one end open like a pillow case and it works great.

This is what I used when I did make a few purses. Very good support and flexable.

When I make my bags I go to AC Moore or any hobby store and I buy what painters use to paint on (not a painter so don't know what they are called..maybe canvas?) I can use my rotary cutter to cut them and I can get about 3 or 4 from the size I buy. They are very sturdy and lightweight...love 'em...Forgot to mention that they are very inexpensive also.

I have used double layers of plastic canvas, plexiglass and even heavy cardboard, but I now only use a heavy mat board. I always cover it with fabric. I get the heaviest mat board they have in the art department at Hobby Lobby, but it is also available at art supply stores.

plastic canvas here. It's cheap but be sure you anchor with a few stitched on the bottom

I use 2 layers of the plastic needlepoint sheets. I just
cut them to size. Have had no problems with them.

I just finished one and used vilene.

...old cutting mats! They can be cut w/scissors, too!

I have used the plastic canvas.

I use foam core board purchased at our local dollar store. Cut fabric a bit larger & make a cover to match the lining of the bag.

I use foam board too. Got it at Walmart.

I use card board and buy the plain plastic table cloth fabric. I then place the card board between the cloth and sew around it for the bottom. I do that because card board if it gets wet doesn't last as long.