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mothbeast · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:17 PM

So I wouldn't necessarily advise you to do what I did to this bag but if you have one that is clearly otherwise going to be trash or a donation this may help get some last use from it.

I bought a Malinka used on Ebay and didn't realize how used / stained it would be. The whole thing looked like it had been dipped in weak tea with stains on other parts. It was kinda gross looking. Attempts to clean it got rid of a little of the dingy color but also faded and abraded the surface.
Left pocket is colored the rest is liek it was after cleaning.
malinka 1 small.jpg
malinka 2 small.jpg

Since I couldn't fix the staining I decided to focus on the fading. I know some people like the worn aged look on bags but I think it just made my bag look sad. I figured that if the colors were bright and saturated the stains would be less obvious. I used FabricMate fine point pens to refresh all of the red and black on the bag. I touched up grey only here and there. The color's weren't an exact match but were close enough. The color is pretty opaque and they didn't bleed very much at all on the fabric.

It's supposed to be permanent when dry and I ironed it to set it. I haven't exposed it to water but have carried it to work all week. The color seems to be holding but I woudln't carry it over say - a light colored shirt.

Here's the finished bag
malinka.jpg

dreamofpompidou · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:19 PM

You did a great job!!! Love it!

maegrace · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:20 PM

Great job! She looks much brighter and happier!

jwhitlock · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:21 PM

WOW, I'm overwhelmed! It looks great from here!

mangowife · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:21 PM

mothbeast - what a difference! Looks like a whole new bag to me! Congrats on a great investment!!! How are you liking the bleeker style overall?

lulu3955 · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:22 PM

WOW it looks awesome! You did a great job bring it back to life!

mothbeast · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:31 PM

ty
dreamofpompidou - you should post your before and after too

I like it ok but it's not my perfect backpack. It's really cut and I do love all the exterior pockets. It's super deep and as the fish mouth is narrower than the interior it's a bit difficult to pull things in and out - I've been fishing things out by feel. Also when I carry it I have a hard time keeping the back flat against my back. I think i need to drag it around some more.

dreamofpompidou · Oct 1st, 2009, 11:49 PM

embarassing, I don't have the befores at the moment...but it was pretty dirty/stained and it still has the "dipped in tea" (great way to describe it) look even after cleaning, but it's not nasty anymore and most of the stains are out. TBH, it looks better in the pics because it looks "whiter" on the "whitish" parts than IRL - it still has the dipped in tea look. I'm going to tell myself its supposed to be that way

mothbeast · Oct 2nd, 2009, 12:02 AM

Forgot to mention stains aside the two spots of wear on the preowned malinka were some fraying of the fabric right under the magnetic closure under the flap and some pilling and fading on the cotton straps.

merrygold · Oct 2nd, 2009, 12:04 AM

Such a pretty bag! Nice restoration work.

Velvet Blue · Oct 2nd, 2009, 12:21 AM

Wow, what a difference that made. Amazing!

travelmom · Oct 2nd, 2009, 02:30 AM

What an amazingly great job you did!!! Are you a Virgo? I am and it seems like somethibg I would have done

Very tedious and precise work. I am truly amazed

skydive nikki · Oct 2nd, 2009, 07:47 AM

Great make over! It looks great. I was watching that Adam Sandler movie,"Bedtime Stories" the other day and the main actress in the movie was carrying that exact backpack. I thought that was cool.

dcblam · Oct 2nd, 2009, 08:33 AM

Fantastic.....and quite informative TOO!
Thanks for sharing and you did a lovely "touch up" job!

annam · Oct 2nd, 2009, 08:49 AM

Great job! You really improved it!

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:17 PM	#1
mothbeast OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 819	stained malinka before and after So I wouldn't necessarily advise you to do what I did to this bag but if you have one that is clearly otherwise going to be trash or a donation this may help get some last use from it. I bought a Malinka used on Ebay and didn't realize how used / stained it would be. The whole thing looked like it had been dipped in weak tea with stains on other parts. It was kinda gross looking. Attempts to clean it got rid of a little of the dingy color but also faded and abraded the surface. Left pocket is colored the rest is liek it was after cleaning. malinka 1 small.jpg malinka 2 small.jpg Since I couldn't fix the staining I decided to focus on the fading. I know some people like the worn aged look on bags but I think it just made my bag look sad. I figured that if the colors were bright and saturated the stains would be less obvious. I used FabricMate fine point pens to refresh all of the red and black on the bag. I touched up grey only here and there. The color's weren't an exact match but were close enough. The color is pretty opaque and they didn't bleed very much at all on the fabric. It's supposed to be permanent when dry and I ironed it to set it. I haven't exposed it to water but have carried it to work all week. The color seems to be holding but I woudln't carry it over say - a light colored shirt. Here's the finished bag malinka.jpg
mothbeast OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 819	__________________ Seeking Hayden Harnett Tharpe red Gray or anthracite Tharpe maybe later this fall.

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:21 PM	#5
mangowife Seriously tempted... Joined: Aug 2006 Location: Too far from the beach! Posts: 2,289	mothbeast - what a difference! Looks like a whole new bag to me! Congrats on a great investment!!! How are you liking the bleeker style overall?
	__________________

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:22 PM	#6
lulu3955 SHY Joined: Aug 2008 Location: MN & IT Posts: 3,159	WOW it looks awesome! You did a great job bring it back to life!
	__________________ Grey Bird Digs Style Blog HHHotties show your pets thread 49 Square Miles (SQ MI) Handbag Thread

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:31 PM	#7
mothbeast OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 819	ty dreamofpompidou - you should post your before and after too I like it ok but it's not my perfect backpack. It's really cut and I do love all the exterior pockets. It's super deep and as the fish mouth is narrower than the interior it's a bit difficult to pull things in and out - I've been fishing things out by feel. Also when I carry it I have a hard time keeping the back flat against my back. I think i need to drag it around some more.
mothbeast OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 819	__________________ Seeking Hayden Harnett Tharpe red Gray or anthracite Tharpe maybe later this fall.

Oct 2nd, 2009, 12:02 AM	#9
mothbeast OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 819	Forgot to mention stains aside the two spots of wear on the preowned malinka were some fraying of the fabric right under the magnetic closure under the flap and some pilling and fading on the cotton straps.
mothbeast OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 819	__________________ Seeking Hayden Harnett Tharpe red Gray or anthracite Tharpe maybe later this fall.

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:19 PM	#2
dreamofpompidou Toast and Popcorn! Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,482	You did a great job!!! Love it!

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:20 PM	#3
maegrace Member Joined: Sep 2009 Location: SW USA Posts: 204	Great job! She looks much brighter and happier!

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:21 PM	#4
jwhitlock Delicious Joined: Aug 2009 Location: Southeast of Disorder, MD Posts: 503	WOW, I'm overwhelmed! It looks great from here!

Oct 1st, 2009, 11:49 PM	#8
dreamofpompidou Toast and Popcorn! Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,482	embarassing, I don't have the befores at the moment...but it was pretty dirty/stained and it still has the "dipped in tea" (great way to describe it) look even after cleaning, but it's not nasty anymore and most of the stains are out. TBH, it looks better in the pics because it looks "whiter" on the "whitish" parts than IRL - it still has the dipped in tea look. I'm going to tell myself its supposed to be that way

Oct 2nd, 2009, 12:04 AM	#10
merrygold Member Joined: Jan 2008 Location: Chasing the ban wagon Posts: 2,337	Such a pretty bag! Nice restoration work.
	__________________ Team Nitzalina! Groupon Abuser. Glutton for PunisHHment.

Oct 2nd, 2009, 12:21 AM	#11
Velvet Blue Member Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 164	Wow, what a difference that made. Amazing!
Velvet Blue Member Joined: Sep 2009 Posts: 164

Oct 2nd, 2009, 02:30 AM	#12
travelmom Member Joined: Nov 2008 Location: Singapore Posts: 648	What an amazingly great job you did!!! Are you a Virgo? I am and it seems like somethibg I would have done Very tedious and precise work. I am truly amazed
	__________________ EMERALD GOAT Has Come in from the Pasture !!! Pure LURVE!!! SEEKING A FEW OTHER THINGS LIKE OLIVE, PLUM & WHIPSNAKE CUFFS, SKINNY BELTS, CBGB BELT IN GREY, HARLEQUIN RECTANGLE & BARREL CASES

Oct 2nd, 2009, 07:47 AM	#13
skydive nikki HH hoarder Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Detroit Rock City Posts: 3,345	Great make over! It looks great. I was watching that Adam Sandler movie,"Bedtime Stories" the other day and the main actress in the movie was carrying that exact backpack. I thought that was cool.

Oct 2nd, 2009, 08:33 AM	#14
dcblam Member Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,545	Fantastic.....and quite informative TOO! Thanks for sharing and you did a lovely "touch up" job!
dcblam Member Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,545

Oct 2nd, 2009, 08:49 AM	#15
annam Banned? hahahahah! Joined: Jan 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 1,151	Great job! You really improved it!
	__________________ Sorry Ben but purses are proof that someone loves us.

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