How It Works — Your Questions Answered

Welcome — you're going to love this! Head straight to our New Here? Start Here page, which walks you through every step of the process from beginning to end, in plain language, with zero assumptions about what you already know. It's written specifically for first-timers and will have you feeling confident before your quilt ever leaves your hands.

Longarm quilting is one of the final steps that transforms your quilt top into a finished quilt by stitching together the quilt top, batting, and backing on a specialized longarm quilting machine.

Unlike a domestic sewing machine — where a large quilt must be pushed and turned through a small opening — Starshine Quilting Studio uses an Innova longarm machine to hold the quilt layers smoothly on a large frame while the machine moves across the surface. This allows even very large quilts to be quilted with smooth, consistent stitching and careful attention to detail.

You will select a digital quilt design called a pantograph — a repeating pattern stitched across the quilt in rows to create texture, movement, and a professional finish. Each design is selected and sized to suit your quilt, then carefully aligned so the pattern flows beautifully across the entire surface. See the Quilting Designs section for additional information about pattern sizing and density.

Although the stitching is computer-guided, each quilt still requires preparation, setup, design selection, thread choice, and hands-on oversight throughout the quilting process — to ensure a result that complements your quilt and gives it a polished finish that shines ✨ made to be enjoyed for years to come.

Our core service is edge-to-edge longarm quilting — one quilting pattern, beautifully stitched across your entire quilt top. We also offer:

• Batting supply — in-stock and special-order options available
• Backing piecing — we'll seam your backing fabric together for you
• Custom personalized labels — a beautiful finishing touch for your quilt
• Quilt Prep/Clean-up services — general tidying or minor fixes before quilting begins
• Pantograph preview — see how your chosen design will look before we stitch a thing

Minimums start at $45 per project, depending on your selected design and stitch density. Even a small quilt takes time to receive, prep, load, quilt, and return — our minimum reflects that.

Pricing is based on the square inches of your quilt top, plus any add-on services you choose (batting, backing piecing, photography, etc.). Use the estimate tool on our pricing page to get a ballpark figure. When in doubt, just reach out — we're happy to give you a quick estimate.

Starshine Quilting Studio is located in Pleasant Hills in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh, PA. We accept quilts by local drop-off at our studio, at several convenient South Hills meet-up locations, or by mail. See the Drop-Off & Meet-Up section below for full details including mail-in instructions.

A little prep goes a long way toward a gorgeous finished quilt — and most of it is quick! The three things we ask every customer to do are:

• Press your quilt top — get those seams as flat as possible
• Trim any dark threads that might shadow through lighter fabrics
• Make sure your backing is squared up and the right size

Pressing is the single most important prep step. The goal is to get your seams, points, and block intersections as flat as you can without any fabric folding over on itself near the seam lines.

Press from the front to check for any fabric that's overlapping or puffing up at seams. Then flip it over and press from the back, smoothing seams and corners flat. We don't have a preference on whether your seams are pressed open or to one side — whatever your pattern recommends works for us.

Thread trimming is about preventing dark threads from peeking through lighter fabrics in your finished quilt. If your quilt is made from all medium or dark fabrics, you can honestly skip this step. If you have a mix of light and dark fabrics, it's worth a pass to trim any dark, loose threads you can see on the back.

Our Quilt Prep Service covers general prep work before quilting begins, billed at $20/hour. This includes:

• Thread cleanup — trimming threads that might shadow through lighter fabrics
• Pressing — addressing seams that weren't pressed or bulky seam intersections
• Squaring a backing that isn't quite right
• Re-sewing any seams, especially those at the edge of the quilt top, that have come undone
• Adding fabric to the sides of a backing that doesn't meet the 4-inch minimum requirement

If you have a specific concern, mention it at drop-off or in your Special Instructions and we'll let you know if it's something we can address and estimate the time involved.

Yes — selvage edges (the tightly finished edges that run along both sides of fabric yardage) should be trimmed off before they end up in your quilt top. Selvages behave differently from the rest of the fabric and can cause puckering or pulling.

Welcome to quilting! Very few quilt tops are geometrically flawless, and that's completely okay. We work with real quilts made by real people, and we know how to work around minor imperfections. A little extra attention to pressing and squaring your backing will help us work our magic. If you have a significant concern about your quilt top, just reach out — we're always happy to chat it through before you drop it off.

Your backing needs to be at least 4 inches larger than your quilt top on all four sides. The easy math: add 8 inches to both the width and the length of your quilt top. So for a 60" × 80" quilt, your minimum backing size is 68" × 88".

Bigger is always fine — that minimum is just the floor. We use that extra fabric to secure the backing to the machine and maintain even tension across the quilt.

When a longarm quilter asks that a quilt backing be "square," it does not mean the backing has to be a square shape. Instead, it means the backing fabric has been prepared so that:

• All four sides are straight
• The corners form 90-degree angles
• The fabric is evenly trimmed and aligned with the grain

In other words, the backing should lie flat and straight without twisting or stretching.

Absolutely! Just send us the right amount of yardage and we'll do the seaming for you. We use the fewest seams possible, and our preferred seam orientation is horizontal — running side to side across the quilt. If your backing has a directional print, just let us know and we'll make sure it's oriented correctly. If you'd like the backing pattern to match across the seam, be sure to order a little extra fabric to allow for matching.

Please mark it! Even something that seems obvious to you might not be obvious to us once the fabric is out of the bag. A sticky note pinned securely to the fabric works great. Binding clips tend to slip off during unpacking — pins and tape are your friends here.

We work with a wide variety of backing fabrics, and many non-standard options are just fine. Some fabrics — particularly stretchy ones like minky (especially Minky Dot) — do require some extra consideration when loading. When in doubt, just reach out before you purchase your backing and we'll let you know what to expect.

We carry the full Quilters Dream batting line and are happy to supply whichever batting that works best for your project. Our in-stock options are available immediately; all others are ordered fresh for your quilt (please allow a few extra days). We also offer the full range of Quilters Dream battings by individual packaged batt — see "Can Starshine order a specific batting for me?" just below for more details.

Absolutely! In addition to our in-stock options, we're happy to order a packaged batt specifically for your quilt. We carry the full Quilters Dream line, including specialty options like Bamboo, Wool, Dream Puff, Dream Angel, and eco-friendly Dream Green.

Pricing varies by batting type and quilt size — view our complete batting price list →

To request an ordered batt, select the appropriate option (to include "I'm not sure - please advise" from the drop-down in the intake form. We'll confirm the batting selection and pricing when we review your order.

Of course! If you have a batting you love, feel free to send it along. The one requirement: it needs to be at least 4 inches larger than your quilt top on all four sides (add 8 inches to both the width and the length). Just include it in your drop-off package.

We love a resourceful quilter! Pieced batting (affectionately called "Frankenbatting") is welcome here. Just make sure the pieces are secured together — a wide zigzag stitch or fusible batting tape both work well — and that the overall size meets our minimums.

Sometimes, no! Batting's main job is warmth and structure. If you're making a table runner, a wall hanging, a light summer quilt, or using a thick warm backing like fleece or flannel, you may be able to skip the middle layer entirely. Not sure? Just ask — it's an easy question to answer once we know what your quilt is for.

In most cases, no — especially if you're using batting we supply. If you're sending your own batting, check the manufacturer's recommendations on the packaging. When in doubt, reach out and we'll weigh in.

A pantograph is the quilting design we stitch across your quilt. At Starshine, we offer edge-to-edge quilting, which means one design repeats from edge to edge across the entire surface. We have a library of designs ranging from simple and geometric to flowing and traditional, modern and graphic to soft and romantic.

A pantograph preview is a digital overlay showing how your chosen quilting design will look on your specific quilt top before a single stitch is made. It's a wonderful option if you're new to longarm quilting, choosing between a few designs, or working on a quilt that's especially meaningful to you. For more detailed information about the pantograph preview, including how scale impacts quilting pricing, please see our Services page. To request a preview, mention the design name(s), if known, that you would like to preview in the Preview textbox on your intake form, OR reply to your confirmation email with this information.

A few things to think about: the style of your quilt top (busy patchwork often pairs well with a simpler design; solid or low-volume quilts can handle something more detailed), how dense you want the quilting to feel, and the overall look you're going for. When in doubt, browse our pattern library and trust your gut — you know your quilt best.

Not sure? Tell us the style of your quilt and what matters to you, and we'll suggest a few options. That's what we're here for.

Stitch density describes how much quilting is stitched on your quilt. Some designs are light and airy with lots of open space, while others are more detailed and heavily stitched. The density you choose affects:

• How soft or firm it feels
• How much the quilt drapes
• How much the quilting stands out
• The overall cost and stitching time

At Starshine, we group our quilting designs into three stitch density categories to help you choose the look and feel that best fits your quilt.

• Shimmer density is more open. It’s often the best choice when you want your piecing or fabric to take center stage while keeping the quilt soft and drapey.
  Typically the most economical quilting option.
• Sparkle density is the “middle ground” and our most popular option. It balances softness and texture while still showing off the quilting design beautifully.
  A balanced choice in both look and price.
• Glow density stitching is much close together, creating rich texture and definition. The finished quilt will feel more structured and less fluffy, making this a great choice when you want the quilting itself to stand out.
  Usually the highest-priced option due to the increased stitching detail and time involved.

Yes. Most pantographs can be adjusted larger or smaller to better suit your quilt. We regularly scale designs to complement piecing and overall quilt size. Because every design has an ideal range, we guide sizing carefully to preserve the best look.

If you would like extra confidence before quilting begins, our Pantograph Preview service shows how the adjusted design will appear on your quilt. Pricing may change if scaling significantly affects quilting density.

Tell us! We love adding new pantographs to our library and welcome suggestions. If you've spotted something on Pinterest or Instagram that made your heart sing, share the link and we'll see what we can find.

Not at this time. We focus exclusively on edge-to-edge work, which allows us to maintain consistent quality and turnaround times for all our customers.

Our standard turnaround is approximately two weeks from the time we receive your quilt. If you have a deadline in mind — a birthday, a holiday, a special occasion — please tell us upfront. We'll let you know whether we can meet it, and rush service is available.

Yes! If you need your quilt sooner than two weeks, rush service is available when our schedule allows. A $40 minimum rush fee applies for priority scheduling requiring completion in less than two weeks. The key is to let us know your deadline as early as possible — the more notice we have, the better we can accommodate you. See the Pricing page for more information about this service.

Once your quilt arrives, we'll take a look at everything and reach out to confirm we have it, answer any questions, and finalize your design choices if we haven't already. You'll hear from us again when your quilt is complete and ready to return — no wondering where it is or how it's going.

We accept:

• Cash
• Online invoice payment via Wave Accounting (secure online payment)
• In-person digital payment via Square (secure online payment)

Your invoice will be sent when your quilt is complete and ready to return/pick-up.

For mail-in customers, payment is due in full prior to your finished quilt being returned. For in-person pick-ups, payment in full is due either before or at the time of pick-up.

If extra batting or backing extends significantly beyond the quilt top, we may trim it as needed to allow for secure loading and smooth quilting on the longarm. Unless you've requested otherwise, we'll return any significant pieces of backing fabric and batting to you.

In the case of a completed quilt that will be return shipped to you, we will include the batting scraps that fit in the shipping box without having to upsize to the next more expensive shipping box size.

Studio drop-offs are by appointment. Janice will schedule a mutually convenient time to meet at the studio located in the South Hills of Pittsburgh (Pleasant Hills).

Please bring the following:

• Your quilt top — pressed and ready
• Your backing fabric (prepared per guidelines)
• Your batting (if providing your own)
• Any special instructions not already noted on your intake form

We can schedule meet-up drop-offs at three convenient South Hills locations. Select your preferred location on your intake form and we'll reach out to schedule a time.

Absolutely! Mail-in is a great option if you're outside the South Hills area or simply prefer the convenience. Here's how it works:

• Submit your intake form first so we're expecting your quilt.
• Once your order is confirmed, pack your quilt top, backing, and batting (if providing your own) securely in a plastic bag then in a box. This helps to protect them en route to the studio.
• Include a note with your name, contact info, order number, and any special instructions
• The ship to address will be included in your order estimate email.