Newly retired, Dad waited by the front door to take my mom grocery shopping. “Tom, you can’t wear that,” Mom exclaimed. “Why? Don’t I match?” he asked. A fair question, since Dad was notoriously color ...

With a pattern in mind, Vardeman’s next step was washing and pressing the material. But many of the ties were silk, great for a snazzy tie, but a little different for a seamstress used to quilting ...