My dad always wore a tie. Every day. When he died in 2012 I kept his ties which have been stashed away in a bag in a cupboard Today I made them into a tote bag, stiffened with interfacing & lined - decided it was better than them gathering & a good way to remember my dad.

I lined it with an old red top of mine plus more bits of his ties for the top facing. Funny but because I hadn& #39;t taken them out of the bag they were in for 12 years, they still smelled of him - aftershave & soap, which was quite weird in a poignant way.

Dad and me constructing stuff in the snow in those cold early 1960s winters (there& #39;ll be a tie on under the jacket!)

He wore the silk tie (with the little circles) at my wedding.