Bernie Sanders’ viral mittens were crafted by a Vermont elementary school teacher

Former presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) sits in the bleachers on Capitol Hill before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US President on January 20, 2021, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, Getty Images)

A crafty teacher from Vermont was in for a surprise Wednesday after Sen. Bernie Sanders’ inauguration attire became a trending topic on social media.

While most attendees dressed in formal winter fashion, Sanders sported a more casual look complemented with fleece-lined mittens.

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According to NBC Boston, the mittens that have become a part of several viral memes were made by Jen Ellis, an elementary school teacher whose daughter went to a child care center owned by a relative of Sanders.

“I love it that he loves them, and that he wears them,” Ellis said according to NBC Boston. “And I’m totally honored that he wore them today.”

According to Boston, the mittens are made from a recycled sweater which the maker thinks reflects Vermonters’ creativity and passion for protecting the environment.

“The fact that these mittens, which were made from recycled and repurposed materials, made it to the national stage is really a shoutout to Vermont,” Ellis said. “I’m really proud that he took them to D.C. and that he was there for this historic moment.”


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