I don't think you have to buy a "kit," and I would suspect the quality of the thread in a dollar store kit. I prefer to buy one spool of good quality thread, then wind a bunch of it on a sewing machine bobbin. Color won't matter. Buy a pack of various needles, then stuff them ('cept the curved one, which goes in your container loose) in an empty lead refill holder for .05 or .07 mechanical pencils. Buttons come from old clothes that you are going to throw away. Get various sizes. Add another bobbin of dental floss and a few various sized safety pins. Pack it all into an Altoids tin, or any other little container you happen to have handy...