Maureen, thanks for the compliment on the New York Beauty block. I have now pieced together most of the spires but had to set it aside for a while. I am swamped with orders for mantillas and then there are the many items that need to be made for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
My nephew's wife has a birthday on Thanksgiving and she usually has her family to their apartment for dinner, so I was planning on sending some embroidered lace napkin rings and table linens with monograms. Perhaps a little ambitious, but I'll try. It's always nice to try to connect the different segments of the family in some way so that will be my attempt this year.
I think I will probably set down roots from my posterior into the chair in my sewing room before long! Or maybe I'll get the quilter's equivalent of bed sores.
Robyn, I have to give some thought to my avatar. I will be visiting my niece soon and she has the original painting. I'll try to take more photos of it and perhaps I will use a close up of the quilt itself. Time will tell.