Wellcome - I think we gained a couple more converts while I have been out all day - Dee Cee (can we know your name please?) and Felicia (and mum too - can't be bad).
I took my blocks to my own quilt group on Thursday evening. One already had her book, and another couple ordered theirs, so there will be four Irish AOTH quilts gradually growing here.
Yes, I confess to having started the Jump the Gun group - I was at a loose end, and couldn't resist.... story of my life, I guess. My excuse is that I needed to take pics in advance to help you all decide on what technique you might use, and so that you could all practice before the start day, so you don't feel you have to redo any at the end.
Re thread for appliqueing, I use ordinary machine sewing thread 40 or 50 count), cotton for preference if I have the right shade, if not, then poly cotton. Because I take very small stitches, I don't seem to need so many shades, especially with batik blendables, as one colour might do two or three fabrics that look fairly different in a lump, but no so much in a small piece.
So the only advice I can really give is to perhaps group your fabrics into colour groups, and lay one, two or three shades of thread on them to see which might be the best. i.e. you might need a light blue, and dark blue and a green blue for your blue fabrics, but the green blue might also be OK for several of your green and turqoise fabrics, and the dark blue might also be able to double up on purple fabrics.
What I DONT think you need to do is buy a reel of thread for each fabric that you might use. (not, that is, unless you can convince DH that you absolutely need them) LOL.