I have a Grace Z44 hand quilting frame and it was such a relief to not have to layer and baste for hand quilting. I like the plastic thimble that has a fingernail on it and a small dent in the middle for the needle. I use Betweens needles, I think that is a 10 but not sure without looking.
I also use the little round of bees wax to run the thread over. It helps with not tangling the thread and goes smoother.