wow..so many GOOD ideas..and some are recycled items as well...yiippee.....

I go to a local sign shop and purchase scraps of the corrugated plastic sign board. Easy to cut and works great. I make a fabric sleeve for it but don't sew it shut since I want to be able to wash it, if needed.

I use plastic placemats from the dollar store and put it a removeable sleeve.

All the suggestions are great. Just to reiterate, be sure to round the corners slightly to prevent the wearing out (or poking through) the bag corners.

I cut a piece of foam core board. I used this material for wrapping my fabric on. Like brendadawg I don't stitch the sleeve closed so it can be washed. The plastic is light in weight and easy to cut. We definitely do not need more weight in our totes!

They have plexiglas bottoms available precut from LQS or Clothide. These run about $10/purse. The alternative that I use is going to the local home improvement store and buying a sheet of plexiglas and cutting it to the size I need. I have used Deco Bond in some purses also. Deco Bond isn't as stiff as plexigas but works well.

When I replaced my large cutting matt (it was abt. 36" x 54"), I kept it. I have my husband cut out purse bottoms from it. Works great!

I use foam core board covered with a sleeve made from lining fabric. But I make the sleeve about 4 inches longer and tuck it in the end. Then I can remove the board and wash the cover and then reassemble.

Doreen

I have used a variety of heavy weight stabilizers, Timtex, etc. as well as a commercial product that I believe is called Baggy Bottoms. One tip I read but have not tried is to cut up any warped cutting mats that you have hanging around.

I use foam core that I cover with Contact paper and put into a sleeve. This way the Foam core will not get wet if there is a spill or Rain.