Hand pieced seams have been traditionally turned to one side for added strength in the seam. Pressing seams open is more common with machine piecing because extra strength isn't needed; machine piecing is very strong. Advantages of pressing open are increased accuracy and elimination of large "bumps", but it remains a personal decision.
Most quilters "load" the needle with several stitches before pulling through. This is much faster than stab stitching and usually results in more even stitches (at least in the first few years).
I have hand quilted both with and without a hoop. I prefer with a hoop, but again it's a matter of personal preference. In my case, my non-hooped quilting was much more un-even plus I found that holding the fabric taught created some stress in my hands.
My all-time favorite hoop is a lap hoop with adjustability. If I can find it online later, I will post a link to it (hope it is still sold!). Mine has a solid wood base that sits in my lap. The post that holds the hoop is adjustable with wing nuts, plus the hoop itself is on a wooden ball that swivels in every direction. This makes it very easy to adjust the quilt so I am always quilting at a comfortable angle. I can quilt in plain round hoops, but it is much more of a juggling act.
The most common mistake of a beginning hand quilter is to hoop the quilt too tight. It is *not* supposed to be tight as a drum! You want about a fist size of "give" in the hoop to allow you to manipulate the fabric back and forth while you make your quilting stitches. One hand is on top of the sandwich with your needle, and the other one is underneath.
Betweens are the best hand quilting needle for most people. You also need a good thimble for your dominant hand middle finger (at least, I use the middle finger), as this is used to push the needle through the fabric.
I think it's a great idea to check YouTube for demonstrations. Some websites that sell thimbles and hoops may also have demo's. It does take practice, but that shouldn't stop you from working on this quilt. Hand quilting stitches don't have to be perfect; they still give a quilt a very special, loving look and feel.
Mary