Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knit Bernie’s Mittens from the Inauguration

by

If you watched the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (or have been on the Internet any time since) you’ve seen, and maybe fallen in love with, the mittens worn by Bernie Sanders at the event.

His brown Fair Isle mitts were made by Jenn Ellis, a Vermont schoolteacher, who made them out of upcycled sweaters (the backs are blue, and the back of the thumb looks like another piece of Fair Isle knitting in green and white).

Alyssa Coffey released a chart for the backs of Bernie’s mittens, which fits into her plain mitten pattern, and could be adjusted somewhat to different sizes or gauges. (Though changing needle size is probably the best option since the design is nicely centered as it is.)

I love the idea of stitching these up for a Progressive friend, or maybe getting a jump on your Halloween costume?

You can grab the free chart on Ravelry.

Looking for more items featuring these now famous, Bernies Mitts – Check these fun Bernie items out on Etsy.

Need a Bernie beanie to go with those mittens? Check out this matching mitten pattern.

Have you read?

Vintage Knitted Coat Pattern PDF – Pembroke Coat

Oh, this one has proper old-Hollywood winter charm.

The Pembroke Coat is a vintage knitted coat pattern that instantly made me think of crisp winter walks, leather gloves, polished boots, and the sort of coat your grandmother would have casually worn while looking impossibly elegant. It has that beautiful longline shape, a classic collar, button front, sleeve tabs, pockets, and a smart plaid-style design that gives it such a tailored finish.

This is not a quick “knit it while watching one movie” sort of project — and honestly, that is part of the appeal. The Pembroke Coat is one for knitters who love a satisfying vintage knitting pattern with a proper garment construction feel. The updated PDF includes the original vintage reference image along with a modern mockup, which makes it much easier to picture how this coat could look in today’s wardrobe.

I especially love that this pattern still feels wearable. Made in grey, camel, forest green, burgundy, or navy, it would be a gorgeous handmade winter coat with that timeless “where did you get that?” look.

As with most vintage patterns, I’d recommend reading through the instructions first, checking your gauge carefully, and being prepared to make small adjustments for fit and modern yarn substitutions. But for confident knitters who enjoy heirloom-style projects, this is a really lovely one to add to the queue.

You can find the Vintage Knitted Coat Pattern PDF in the CraftGossipStore on Etsy.