Bernie Sanders certainly seemed to steal the show at the at the 2021 Inauguration. Now the world is talking about Bernie and his mittens - his repurposed sweater mittens. As a result, the school teacher who gave the senator the mittens has no more mittens for sale.
But Blue Ridge Mitten Co., located in Charlotte, NC, has been making and selling beautiful repurposed sweater mittens just like these for 15 years. Rachel Rodriguez, the company’s owner and chief designer, has been sewing for over 40 years and she got the idea for these unique mittens while skiing in Colorado. With a love for sewing and thrifting, Rachel’s mitten business began. Rachel loves shopping thrift stores for classic wool and cashmere sweaters, and she also frequents estate sales looking for collections of vintage buttons to use as accents on the mittens she creates. Blue Ridge Mitten Co.’s mittens are made from these upcycled sweaters and are lined with thick, soft fleece for optimal warmth and comfort. “I save so many beautiful wool sweaters and use them create unique, high-quality mittens and scarves, as well as a line of very popular fingerless mittens. I love to recycle these found treasures to make beautiful new creations!” Rachel’s mittens are truly one-of-a-kind works of art.
Rachel has also created many “memory” mittens and scarves for customers made from their loved ones’ sweaters. “This can be part of a healing process and a becomes a treasured keepsake for family members.”
Blue Ridge Mitten Co. has been selling their products at craft fairs like the Southern Christmas Show for many years. Prices range from $20 for fingerless mittens to $40 for cashmere scarves. You can purchase your very own pair of mittens on the company website: blueridgemittenco.com. Or, if you are looking for something special, call 704-576-0907 to discuss a custom order.
Blue Ridge Mitten Co. sells most of their mittens in the winter months and spends the rest of the year making t-shirt blankets (which make great graduation, birthday, anniversary, and wedding gifts), but this year the company may be making mittens all year long... Thanks, Bernie!
Blue Ridge Mitten Co.
Owner: Rachel Rodriguez, 704-576-0907
blueridgemittenco@att.net blueridgemittenco.com @blueridgemittenco
#smallbusiness #madeintheusa #sweatermittens #berniestylemittens #recycledsweatermittens