Make your own Bernie Sanders mittens
Chances are that the wholesome meme of Bernie Sanders wearing his warm, iconic mittens didn't cease to pass you by. Over the last few days the internet has been bombarded with this photo of the Vermont Senator and it seems like the mittens have gained much acclaimed popularity of its own.
Sadly, the brown and cream mittens made from repurposed wool and recycled fleece have already been sold out and its maker Jen Ellis, a school teacher from Vermont, expressed that she's overwhelmed by the response but she is not in a state to mass produce them to meet the demand.
Since it's chilly here in Bangladesh we thought that this is the perfect time for you to make your one-of-a-kind Bernie Sanders mittens.
To make the mittens you will need:
- An old sweater
- Scissors
- Paper
- Marker
- Pencil
- Pins
- Needles
- Thread or a sewing machine
Start off by tracing the shape of your hands with a pencil by laying them flat on a piece of paper. With a marker go over the outline making sure to keep a few centimetres gap for seam allowance. After you are done with the template cut it out and secure it tightly onto your sweater with a few pins. Make use to make a deep cut in the crease of the thumb for more comfort and mobility. Now, carefully cut the sweater following the template and make sure it's perfect. It is easier to use the bottom of the sweater for this since it already has the ribbed hem which can double as the cuff of the mittens. If you mess that up there's always an alternative. The cuffs of the hands can be cut out to be attached to the mittens. You should end up with four identical pieces of fabric after you're done trimming the outline.
Place the good side of the sweater-cutouts inside making sure that the mittens are turned right-side down. At this point you can choose to hand sew the two pieces together or use a sewing machine if you have one. A blanket-stitch works best in this case but you're free to use whichever stitching style you're comfortable with. Finally, flip the freshly stitched mittens inside out and iron them to flatten them out.
If you want a more perfect pair of mittens you can download an online three-piece template. These are sewn a bit differently since there are three pieces to join. Place the two small sections with the wrong sides up in such a way that the thumb aligns. Sew across the palm and the thumb and stop when you're left with an even palm line on both sides. Now, place the bigger piece and attach it with the thumb while sewing the open sides. You can add a fleece or a faux fur lining to add extra warmth. The lining is made following the same process. Insert the lining with the right side up inside the mittens turned the opposite way. Sew the ends together, flip the mittens the right way and fold the cuff when you're done.
Ta-da! Now you are left with your very own Bernie mittens. Why not make one and recreate the meme yourself?