Thanks! Just to clarify, I am getting the SUPPLIES as a Christmas present. I will start the crib quilt in the new year as a gift for my new nephew due in February. I've already told my SIL it likely won't be complete by his birth. Since it is a baby quilt, I do need to use an all-cotton batting. I typically use W&P or W&N for machine quilting (and a bit of handwork), but it is very thick so that is why I'm going with a thinner cotton for this quilt -- I'd prefer Hobbs organic, but have also considered Quilter's Dream cotton. Since you say thinner is better, I'll go with whichever of those is thinnest. Thank you so much for that tip as I know it wasn't easy to even do small sections of hand quilting through W&N on past quilts.
I will also be sure to order some YLI hand quilting thread.
Thanks again & I look forward to any additional tips others can offer! I'm just a newbie at this & can use all the help I can get!