Everyone, Thanks so much for the replies. I've written down the manufacturers, brands and colours you mentioned. Looks like most have gone through a learning curve on what brand, product line, and colours work best for their own tastes. Guess that will be what happens with me also.
So piecing is basically done with 50 weight thread. What weight is suggested for machine quilting? I will be doing grid for seam quilting. Of course, I don't see that well, even with glasses, so my seam quilting, which I tried yesterday will not be perfect. Yesterday I missed here and there by about 1/16 inch.