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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

Today is a paper repair day. Page by page, we fix

Today is a paper repair day. Page by page, we fix tears in the paper with Japanese paper and wheat starch. It’s going to be a long day. #bookconservation #paperconservation #japanesepaper #bookrepair #torontobookarts

Turning in the head and tail of this new spine. It

Turning in the head and tail of this new spine. It’s nice to hide the repair under the original covering material and endpapers, if a bit fussy sometimes. Just gluing loose material down and some touch ups and it’s done. #bookconservation #bookrepair #reback #bookbinding #torontobookarts

I always make a “pair of pants” when doing two-on

I always make a “pair of pants” when doing two-on sewing of a book. Do you have a different shape you use? Two-on sewing uses less thread and creates less thickness or swell in a book, by jumping up and down while sewing across the spine. #bookbinding #swell #twoonsewing #abreviatedsewing #bookarts

Today I lined some boards for a big clamshell box.

Today I lined some boards for a big clamshell box. Lining on both sides balances the pull of the adhesive, and makes for stronger flat boards. #bookbinding #boxmaking #flatboards #bookarts #torontobookarts

Had a lovely afternoon yesterday gathering with bo

Had a lovely afternoon yesterday gathering with book artists and binders in Toronto. We met at the @victorialibrary71 to see some special collection items before sharing our own bindings. I can’t wait to come back to see the amazing bindings and artists books in their collection. #finebindings #artistsbooks #specialcollections #torontobookarts

Come join Elijah Harrison if @glasscreature.editio

Come join Elijah Harrison if @glasscreature.editions for an evening of creative zine and book structures. Learn to make Flexagons, Turkish map folds, and more. Sign up at our website, link in the bio. #bookarts #zine #flexagon #turkishmapfold #torontobookarts

Gluing out the endpapers and casing in the book wr

Gluing out the endpapers and casing in the book wraps this project up. #caseboundbook #bookbinding #bookarts #torontobookarts

Came into the shop for a few minutes on the holida

Came into the shop for a few minutes on the holiday weekend to get this tray finished up. I love the light green cloth for the trays, it will look amazing with the cover colour. Now it can set up on Family Day before getting back to work on Tuesday. #clamshellbox #bookbinding #reallybigbox #bookarts #torontobookarts

Take the time to stop at the @tpl.reference librar

Take the time to stop at the @tpl.reference library to see their new exhibit, Loops, Swoops and Curlicues. A lovely exhibit of handwritten manuscripts and documents. I enjoyed the exhibit and will be going back again soon. #manuscript #bookbinding #torontobookarts

Today I’m working on an oversized clamshell box fo

Today I’m working on an oversized clamshell box for a local printmaker. A big box is a bit harder to handle, but it should turn out well. I can’t wait to see the prints in it. #clamshellbox #printmaking #bookbinding #bookarts #torontobookarts

An amazing set of valentines came in the mail yest

An amazing set of valentines came in the mail yesterday. I love the @cbbag_bookarts valentine exchange. Such great creativity and craft from across Canada. Let’s hope my submission holds up in the set. #valentines #handmadevalentine #bookarts #canadianbookarts

I’m teaching an online clamshell box workshop for

I’m teaching an online clamshell box workshop for @cbbag_bookarts and needed to catch up on my own homework. This second tray gets covered inside and out with cloth before we line the bottom tonight. #clamshellbox #bookbinding #bookarts #torontobookarts

I’m preparing some envelopes for a valentine excha

I’m preparing some envelopes for a valentine exchange with @cbbag_bookarts. Twenty-nine members from across Canada are filling each other’s mailboxes with the good kind of mail. Can’t wait to see what shows up in mine. #valentines #mail #printmaking #bookarts

Join us at the bindery for a weekend exploring the

Join us at the bindery for a weekend exploring the sewing structures of books on Saturday and Sunday, February 28 & March 1. We’ll make book models with sewing methods from the 13th to 20th centuries. A great exploration of the history of the book and hands-on practice in sewing books together. See more at our website, link in the bio. #bookbinding #sewnbook #historicbook #bookartsworkshop

Had coffee with @tinyhandmadedolls yesterday and s

Had coffee with @tinyhandmadedolls yesterday and spent time with some of their miniature bindings. What glorious little gems of books. With leather, tooling, miniature marbled and paste papers, and tiny readable text blocks. Such of joy. Thanks for sharing. #miniaturebook #bookbinding #marbledpaper #pastepaper #torontobookarts

Today the endbands go back on this repaired book.

Today the endbands go back on this repaired book. The old ones were dirty and torn, so a new set replaces them. #bookconservation #bookrepair #endbands #bookarts #torontobookarts

Spent a lovely afternoon at the opening for @etigs

Spent a lovely afternoon at the opening for @etigson show at @propellerartgallery. So much amazing silkscreen prints, scrolls, and books. Well done Daniel. Go see the show, it’s worth the visit. #silkscreen #scrolls #washi #accordionbook

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

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