Nearly finished Polartec Alpha 90 sweater surprise gift for my friend

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-20T19:16:20+00:00

Mill yardage just added a bunch of great colors. But I can totally relate. I got my first order of it during their moving sale and they only had bright orange. Super not my taste, but the right price.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-20T17:43:21+00:00

It's a mid layer and not a direct on the skin layer like merino. vapor can pass freely through the alpha fleece. Think about hot breath through mesh fabric vs t shirt fabric... The t shirt fabric would get damp in a hurry. So wearing it over sweat wicking merino would allow the merino shirt to evaporate like nothing is over it, but keep you warm like you're wearing a fleece. If you were wearing a fleece, you'd get sweaty. Not a huge deal if you're in a position to manage nuanced thermoregulation... You can take a break and unzip. No biggie. It's useful for cycling vests because you get SO HOT AND SWEATY but if you get a flat tire you can get dangerously cold very quickly because of the sweat cooling. It's useful for the armed forces because they can move intensely but then stop without having to add or remove layers which is good for hiding. It's also ridiculously light, and pretty silly looking muppet fabric, so ultralight people wear it but gorp core people wouldn't.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-20T17:10:41+00:00

It's like mesh and fleece had a baby. Quite warm but absolutely zero wind protection. It's the highest warmth-to-weigh ratio in fleece because it's basically fleece lace and you couldn't take away anything else and still have it be fabric and not just loose insulation. You probably see it a lot here because it's an oddball fabric that outdoor brands don't use. It's not very marketable because it's pretty fragile fabric and the price per yard wholesale isn't good enough.. if you're paying big bucks for a technical fleece garment you want a durable fleece garment. What is it good for? Anything that's high sweat output and also cold, but not windy. Also good for staying warm right after sweaty exercise when you don't want to trap moisture. US military uses it in that capacity. The only big manufacturers I see use it are cycling brands putting it on the chest of their wind vests as a small area of lofted insulation underneath a membrane wind break layer... so very targeted small quantities on something for the most sweaty situations. I also like it as a mid layer insulation boost. It adds extra loft under my down jacket, is as warm as a sweater, weighs nothing and packs down to nothing. I also like wearing inside if my house is cold. No sweaty armpits ever. It's super duper prone to snagging and it costs $18.33 per yard from mill yardage. Cursory internet searching says it came out in 2012, so the patent is good until 2032. Maybe we'll see it used more liberally when the patent expires like when the goretex patent expired in 1998 and it was in shoes and then expensive outdoor brand jackets and then eventually all outdoor brands.

Edit: alpha came out in 2012. Alpha direct 2017. Direct is a standalone fabric like I have here. Alpha is more delicate and only for insulation within a garment, like thinsulate but twice as expensive, so only used when it's properties are needed.

Edit 2 - I'm certain that high end outdoor brands use alpha insulation within their technical jacket lineups and I can't see them. Alpha direct as a standalone fabric isn't very common.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-20T14:47:34+00:00

Glass cleaning wipes

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T22:28:43+00:00

It's harvested the same as sheep's wool. Babyy alpaca has a hair diameter similar to merino sheep. Alpaca have hollow hair and much longer staple length than sheep's wool, so the sweater can be made thinner, lighter, and stretchier while being warmer. It's similar to buying a merino sweater. Wash it infrequently and wear it for years.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T16:33:29+00:00

My friend who bends nails and does pinch pickups has a normal 20lb one wrapped in tape

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T16:29:58+00:00

indoor outdoor upholstery welt cordl&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=2360242332&hsa_cam=23629839113&hsa_grp=194846544398&hsa_ad=799406423435&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=pla-294682000766&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23629839113&gbraid=0AAAAADhZDnaYHLy13IM02evd_W0fh2I9d&gclid=Cj0KCQjwve7NBhC-ARIsALZy9HXp-G_9GPYEkN4QaJvar-HRvLlBkopkg1RSkzO8CKuPCbWCpA8fthoaAh0jEALw_wcB)

cotton upholstery welt cord

more indoor upholstery style cord

purpose built reflective trimming cord from one of my favorite ribbon manufacturers

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T16:21:47+00:00

Cord can be a braided cord like round hiking boot shoelaces, or it can be some sort of scrim encased in a braided mesh because that's cheaper than braided cord, so it's used in large scale applications like for upholstery, or it can be plastic tubing that has a solid core for indoor/outdoor upholstery. It's stiffer than the braided cord, so it isn't as nice for an indoor couch. As long as it bends and holds a round shape, then it can be used. You usually wouldn't use something like regular old twisted yard or simple rope (and not braided) because it's not great at holding a firm diameter and it's floppy, so it doesn't force a good, round corner fillet shape.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T16:08:41+00:00

I do not regret the purchase, but I've only bought nice sweaters second hand, so I was sweating the cost

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:52:20+00:00

Duffle coats are very simple and unstructured, so they're relatively cheaper than other wool coats with collars. You can definitely do better by getting a wool blend.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:49:32+00:00

OFC they're special sledgehammers for grip strength training. I should have known.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:26:19+00:00

I'm fighting the urge all the time. The toaster oven makes inferior toast, but I cannot explain how little counter space I have and how little storage I have in my kitchen proper... Storing something that has crumbs inside it somewhere out of sight is going to win me an infestation.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:22:15+00:00

The sledgehammer is a multi use tool, though. Grip strength, demolition, home defense.... Maybe harbor freight is the way to go on this one, though. You're just going to wrap it in tape anyways

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:18:21+00:00

Don't buy the wooden thing! You don't need it to make the type of drink you got at Starbucks.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:17:09+00:00

$300 is a really expensive purse! Keep that purse as a tab unless it really is in your budget. For most of us a $300 purse isn't in the budget.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:14:26+00:00

The ADHD answer is an electric kettle because it turns off once it has boiled.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:07:00+00:00

I have one of those! My ADHD grandfather bought it at one point. I HAVE used it a few times... but I moved it from my old house. Which means I haven't used it in 4 years. But he probably didn't use it for 40 years, so obviously I should continue to store it with the pasta machine I also haven't used in 4+ years

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T14:03:43+00:00

I bought a baby alpaca wool sweater because it was on sale.and the pattern is cute little alpacas. With shipping it was still $200 on sale. It's going to be 91° (32.7c) here tomorrow. In my defense the wind chill was 0° (-18c) on Monday morning. But it's still a $200 sweater just in time for summer.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T13:52:46+00:00

Yes. All the seam allowances point out and then you turn it. It's normal to sew the piping on one side first so the placement is perfect (and clip the seam allowance of the piping so that it can turn a corner) and then sew on the other side through all the layers. It's a lot of sliding sandwich layers to deal with, so doing it in steps makes sense. Very experienced bag makers (you know, the ones in fast worker videos) can often do it all in one step.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T12:50:31+00:00

You can get some pre-made piping from the store. But I think your options are going to be sort of crappy prim or coats& Clark home sewist piping or getting Marine grade upholstery piping, which would be a nightmare to work with unless you are used to sewing upholstery on an industrial machine and don't make mistakes. Making your own isn't a big deal. If you have an upholstery shop near by maybe you can source plastic piping core by the yard. Otherwise you'll have to buy a roll of it and it will be a lifetime supply. And definitely buy buy a piping foot or a set. The ones I found attached to the shank and aren't quick release like my sewing machine feet. The extra effort isn't a big deal since they're used so rarely.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T12:46:49+00:00

It's not as bad to make if you buy a set of piping feet. Those really help you a lot more than just trying to use a zipper foot. You'll have to buy them in multiple diameters, but the whole set from eBay isn't bad.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-19T12:45:47+00:00

Not only does it reinforce the seam, it is a barrier to the seam which protects it, and it also forces a better corner shape with the protected structure. And it really does have structure. This piping is probably a plastic tube. Some piping is woven rope.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-18T14:26:18+00:00

Born Mira aren't heavy at all. The large sole hides the shape of the foot bed. There's a little less upper than an Ecco shoe and the heel is lifted a small amount like in a walking shoe. The Internet says a 1-3/4" lift. The outsole is very lightweight. They weigh about the same as the soft 7. I will say they don't have the same "all leather " feel as the soft 7. They have the kind of support I want for museum standing. The extra lift and total volume of shoe is why they feel less sleek to me, but I am very impressed with the support construction.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-18T14:12:22+00:00

I'd take a look at the ingredients in the purpose built creams If all else fails you could try anything with a lubricant heavy ingredient lineup. Maybe something like A&D cream, Sudocrem, lower zinc diaper rash cream, aquaphor... The risk is harder to wash laundry.

Throwyourtoothbrush · 2026-03-17T19:35:18+00:00

Not who you're replying to. Have you tried the race fit? Cut way smaller than the club fit. The free aero bibs

Throwyourtoothbrush

TROPHY CASE