I am new at LA too but will try to offer some suggestions on your questions. I have found Pantos are priced the same across the board with very little pricing difference no matter where you buy. They all seem to be between $17 and $20. Thread is also very compartitively priced. I have only seen a few dollar variation on the big spools. The few places I have ordered on line I have been satisfied with the service.
I have a few pantos but have not yet used them. I like to practice FMQ by making a sandwich of a yard of inexpensive solid colored fabric. Solid so I can better see the stitches. I will put different color thread in bobbin from top so I can easily spot tension issues and like to use a high contrast thread from the practice sandwich, again so I can really see what is happening. Then I just doodle away. I look through books to get ideas for motifs. I like doing stencils then freehand echos around them. I doodle with pencil and paper ALOT to get that muscle memory thing going.