I hand quilt everything> I have tried many of the expensive hand quilting thread, and have not been satisfied. I ended up back to using the Americana cotton hand quilting thread I get for 99 cents at Joannes...I run it through thread heaven to prevent a lot of tangles. The thick look would be from the thickness of your batting..For a first quilt I wouldn't advise using a high loft. I is more diffficult to sew thru the layers. I only use a single strand of the thread when quilting. I use #`10 quilting needles and try to sew smaller even stitches using a rocking motion. In the beginning it was real hard to get the small stitches, so I focused on even. In time it became neater and smaller. Good Luck with your project. I love hand quilting and find it very relaxing