Can't help with anything but the hand quilting thread. I usually use whatever brand/weight comes in the color I want for a given project. I use Americana (JoAnn's - which is a fairly heavy weight thread); Coats & Clark and Guterman. None seem to give specific weights - all are just labeled 'hand quilting' thread. I've had equally good success/results with all of them and have mixed them in the same quilt with no issues.