Sen. Bernie Sanders got plenty of internet attention for his inauguration outfit on Wednesday, sporting meme-worthy mittens made by a teacher in Vermont whose gift included a message.
Jen Ellis, who teaches second grade at Westford Elementary School in Westford, Vermont, used to make mittens and sell them at craft fairs. Her pair for Sanders, which she sent him over two years ago, came with a message for him to run for president again.
Bernie’s mittens are made by Jen Ellis, a teacher from Essex Junction, Vt. She gave them to him 2+ years ago and was surprised when he began wearing them on the campaign trail. They are made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece made from recycled plastic bottles. pic.twitter.com/ErLr29lY2t
— Ruby Cramer (@rubycramer) January 20, 2021
“I made the mittens for him specifically and sent them to him through his daughter-in-law with a note that said, ‘I hope you run again,’ and he did, which surprised me,” Ellis said.
The mittens are made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece from recycled plastic bottles, according to BuzzFeed News.
Though Ellis does not plan to continue to make the mittens, she was honored to see the senator wearing one of her creations for the president’s inauguration.
