The image of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) sitting at President Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021 is iconic and a favorite among the internet memesters. The maker of the mittens, Jen Ellis, sat down for an interview with NBC Local to recall the surreal experience and share the lessons she learned. “There were probably lots of really interesting images from that day, but that was the one people really globbed on to,” Ellis said of her mittens going viral. Ellis said she had no way of knowing her creation would cause a social media storm. The career teacher from Sanders’ home state of Vermont had made the mittens five years before and had given them to him as a gift, even though she had never met him before. But she was able to get the mittens to Sanders via his daughter-in-law, who worked at Ellis’ daughter’s preschool. “I was making mittens as holiday gifts. So, I made an extra pair for him,” Ellis said. “And, he apparently liked them.” Ellis makes her mittens out of repurposed wool sweaters. The mittens given to Sanders were from a sweater knitted by a former student’s grandmother, which Ellis remembered as being in rough shape. Donald Trump Jan 17 Trump's inauguration ceremony moved indoors due to frigid weather forecast Immigration Jan 17 Senate advances a migrant detention bill that could be Trump's first law to sign “I just cut around all the bad parts and I just cleaned up,” Ellis said. “Really, only the good parts of that sweater went into those mittens.” Ellis went on to write a memoir called “Bernie’s Mitten Maker,” which dives into making the mittens as well as “crafting and creativity and building community.” “And taking a situation that’s totally unexpected and create something really good with it,” Ellis said. Around 22,000 people reached out to Ellis for her mittens after the inauguration, with some not just wanting the mittens for themselves, but also for stores to sell. Ellis ended up partnering with Vermont Mitten Co., to sell mittens with the famous pattern, which she said created 12 new jobs. A portion of the proceeds are also donated to Outright Vermont, an organization that helps LGBTQ youth in the state. “I think one of the greatest impacts you can make s to just be kind,” Ellis said. “Be kind to people and just be generous with what you have.