Quiltmaker,
I agree with you, Roxanne McElroy's book is also one of my favourite and I can really recommend it to everyone interested in hand quilting. I have learned a lot about the materials I work with, although my method of hand quilting is a different one (I quilt without a thimble and I do only single stitches). However, the book is really a treasure for me.
BTW - just in case you want to get rid of the needles...you can send them to me! :)