I most like all cotton sheets that are 200-250 count and good quality. Sateen I love the feel of, but it's slippery to work with. I like Ralph Lauren sheets. They are crisp and they get soft over time and wear like iron. I can often find just flat sheets at a discount at places like Ross or Marshalls or TJ Maxx. The quilt in my avatar is a cotton Springmaid sheet I found in Ross for $3.29. I loved the print, so it's a whole cloth quilt, with another solid sheet for the back. (Oh no- can you hear the screams from the police state! Two sheets)
I never have a problem with machine quilting. I do rip down the sides, because they pucker on my frame. Other than that, I love the sheets. (In fact, in the avatar quilt, I used the header to frame the Italian Greyhound cartouche.) Waste not, want not.