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Big River Bindery

Practicing the Book Arts in the Greater Toronto Area

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What’s Happening in the Shop

We’re working hard and having fun in the shop. See some of what we’ve been doing here.

bigriverbindery

Join us for a Toronto Book Arts Gathering It’s ti

Join us for a Toronto Book Arts Gathering

It’s time again to gather and meet our friends and colleagues in the book arts.

This time we’ll be meeting in the E. J. Pratt Library at Victoria University at the University of Toronto.

We’ll be gathering to see and share our favourite or most recent project. It can be a print, book, or whatever you’d like to bring. If you’ve made a hand made book or print, or have one in your collection, please bring it along.

Open to all to print, bind, or appreciate. Share with friends or colleagues who might be interested.

Please email bigriverbindery@gmail.com if you think you can attend and to get more details.

I’m getting the paste down back on this register.

I’m getting the paste down back on this register. I use a foam roller to speed up my glueing of materials. #bookconservation #bookrepair #pastedown #endpapers #torontobookarts

Today we’re trimming up some prints for an upcomin

Today we’re trimming up some prints for an upcoming exchange for the @canadian.letterpress.alliance. The guillotine really speeds up the process. #letterpress #guilotine #trimmingpaper #bookarts #torontobookarts

Getting the original spine back on this book. It’s

Getting the original spine back on this book. It’s almost done and ready to go back to the owner. I love the finishing touches to a treatment. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #oldspine #torontobookarts

Ready to share your ideas and images? Learn how to

Ready to share your ideas and images? Learn how to make DIY publications for sharing art and ideas with @glasscreature.editions . Learn to make one-sheet books and sewn pamphlets, then fill them using drawing, writing, and collage. See more on our website, link in the bio. #zine #onesheetbook #sewnpamphlet #collage #bookarts

When the sewing is broken, we have to clean up all

When the sewing is broken, we have to clean up all the bits of thread before resewing the book. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #torontobookarts

Join us in the shop for a drop-in printing event.

Join us in the shop for a drop-in printing event. Use our letterpress equipment to make your own valentines using the pressure printing technique. It’s a quick easy way to make images and text. It’s only $15 dollars and you get a beverage to sip while you make your prints. See more on our website on the workshops page, link in the bio. #letterpress #pressureprint #valentines #printmaking #torontobookarts

If it’s Wednesday, must be time to clean another s

If it’s Wednesday, must be time to clean another spine. I love how Methylcellulose softens the adhesive for easy cleaning. #bookconservation #bookrepair #cleanspine #bookarts #torontobookarts

Casing in this book to finish off the day. The end

Casing in this book to finish off the day. The endpaper gets glued out before the cover goes on. Now I let it press overnight. #bookbinding #caseboundbook #bookarts #torontobookarts

Spent the weekend printing, so had to clean up the

Spent the weekend printing, so had to clean up the ink slabs when done. I used to use phone books for disposing of the excess ink, but have moved on to unneeded catalogs, since phone books are hard to find. #printing #inkcleanup #letterpress #torontobookarts

Following up the new years fireworks with this boo

Following up the new years fireworks with this book cover. Getting back to work after the celebrating and remembering the midnight show. #fireworks #bookbinding #bookcover #bookarts #torontobookarts

Our winter and spring workshops are up on the webs

Our winter and spring workshops are up on the website. Join us to learn about zine and book making, book repair, and letterpress printing. You can see more information on our website, link in the bio. #bookarts #bookartsworkshop #letterpress #bookbinding #torontobookarts

Working on one last book for the year. Didn’t get

Working on one last book for the year. Didn’t get it done, but will get to it after all the new year festivities. Looking forward to new book projects in 2026! #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #bookarts #torontobookarts

Taking a bit of time between the holidays to print

Taking a bit of time between the holidays to print a project for the @canadian.letterpress.alliance. It’s good fun to get on the presses for a new print. More layers to come. #letterpress #p22blox #torontobookarts #letterpressprint

Preparing this book for a double fan adhesive bind

Preparing this book for a double fan adhesive binding. I add hinges in the front and back to help attach the cover back onto the book. Ready for gluing. #bookconservation #doublefanadhesivebinding #japanesepaper #bookrepair #torontobookarts

I was so happy to visit @flycatcherpress and see t

I was so happy to visit @flycatcherpress and see the new studio today. Such a lovely space, great light, and so many presses. Plus a well stocked retail space in front. If you’re in Toronto, you should drop by for some supplies, art, or take a workshop. I have serious studio envy. #letterpress #silkscreen #printmakingsupplies #newstudio #canadianletterpress

Getting as much done as I can before the holidays.

Getting as much done as I can before the holidays. These two books are getting their new spines attached to the book. The new material gets sandwiched between the original covering material and the board. #bookconservation #bookrepair #reback #newspine #torontobookarts

Sure, all that tape helps the parts of the book to

Sure, all that tape helps the parts of the book together, but it’s a bear taking it all off. Removing the carrier and adhesive is important first the long term conditions of the paper. So off it goes, inch by inch. #bookconservation #bookrepair #taperemoval #tapeisevil #torontobookarts

This wedding album is getting a new cover, so we h

This wedding album is getting a new cover, so we have to get the old one off the book. Luckily the endsheet is coming away from the boards without too much trouble. Next I can start working on the new leather cover. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #bookarts #leatherboundbook #endpapers

This week I finally got the chance to go see @cons

This week I finally got the chance to go see @conservationplusculture and Vincent in the @401richmond building. Vincent recently moved to this lovely space and does amazing paper conservation projects in Toronto. I have a little studio envy, but it was great to saw the lab. Hope to come back soon. #paperconservation #paperconservator #fancystudio #canadianconservator

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