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Big River Bindery

Practicing the Book Arts in the Greater Toronto Area

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Big River Bindery

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

I’m back in the shop catching up after my trip to I’m back in the shop catching up after my trip to Montreal. It was great catching up with colleagues, but I’m happy to be working with my hands again. This tissue is getting toned to match the original covering leather. #bookconservation #bookrepair #japanesetissue #bookbinding
Made one last visit before heading home. I’d met t Made one last visit before heading home. I’d met the owner of Au Papier Japonais at my conference, but wanted to see the store in person. A lovely selection of papers and tools, in a fun neighbourhood. If @thejppofficial wasn’t nearby, I would have gone home with handfuls. Worth a visit in Montreal. #washi #japanesepaper #bookartspaper #bookbinding #bookconservation
While in Montreal, I spent a lovely morning visiti While in Montreal, I spent a lovely morning visiting with @feuilles.reliureartisanale, talking about her marbled papers. It’s exciting to find a Canadian source for these beautiful decorated papers. I look forward to using some on a book soon. #marbledpaper #decoratedpaper  #bookbinding #bookarts
One last stop before the conference in Montreal wa One last stop before the conference in Montreal was over. Heard about a Chinese art supply store nearby and now have a handful of brushes to take home. A last good visit of the trip. #artsupplies #brushes #bookarts #conservationsupplies
Join us in Toronto for a weekend of printing fun. Join us in Toronto for a weekend of printing fun. Learn to set type and print images to make your own cards, posters, or manifesto. Full details on our website, link in our bio. #letterpress #letterpressprinting #bookarts
While I’m in Montreal, I took a walk to the @mcgil While I’m in Montreal, I took a walk to the @mcgill_rare department to see their Book Arts Lab. I got a great tour by the librarians, and heard about the teaching of printing and book history to the students, and their apprentice program. A wonderful little shop and some great presses. Thanks for showing me around. #letterpress #canadianletterpress #bookarts #canadianbookarts
My trip to Montreal stared well with a visit to Sa My trip to Montreal stared well with a visit to Saint Armand paper mill. David and Denise have an amazing hand paper making operation, producing 100% cotton papers for artists, printers, and bookmakers. If you ever get to Montreal, you should drop by, just bring your credit card for all you’ll bring home. #handpapermaking #papermaking #bookarts #canadianbookarts
I’ve been tabling at the Grimsby Wayzgoose today. I’ve been tabling at the Grimsby Wayzgoose today. Took a quiet minute to document my table before I run out of stock. #letterpress #bookarts #wayzgoose
I wrapped up my trip to Ottawa with a visit to Wea I wrapped up my trip to Ottawa with a visit to Weathervane Press. Had a lovely chat with Steve and got a great tour of the shop. So clean and tidy, and so many projects on the go. A great morning of letterpress fun. #letterpress #bookarts
I’m happy to be back at the Book Arts Lab at Carlt I’m happy to be back at the Book Arts Lab at Carlton University teaching for @cbbag_bookarts Ottawa Chapter. We’re doing book repair, but it’s nice to be surrounded by such nice printing equipment. #letterpress #bookarts #bookrepair #bookbinding
I’m rebuilding the endbands for a big bible in the I’m rebuilding the endbands for a big bible in the shop. The original cloth was torn and weak, so I lined it with tissue and are wrapping them around new board cores. It’s nice to reuse the original materials of the book during a repair. #bookconservation #bookrepair #biblerepair #bookarts #torontobookarts
Join me at @g44photo this spring for some book and Join me at @g44photo this spring for some book and book and box making workshops. Located at the 401 Richmond building in Toronto, it’s easy to get to for some evening book arts fun. Link at their website and my bio. #bookarts #enclosures #photographybooks #torontobookarts
It’s time to clean and repair the endbands on this It’s time to clean and repair the endbands on this book. We soak and remove the original core. We’ll stabilize the tears and rebuild the emdbands to put back on the book. #bookconservation #bookrepair #bookbinding #bookarts #torontobookarts
We’re finally getting all the hide glue off this s We’re finally getting all the hide glue off this spine. More Methylcellulose and scraping gets it all clean and ready for the next operation. #bookconservation #bookrepair #cleaningthespine #bookarts #torontobookarts
This paper and cloth lining put up a fight, but it This paper and cloth lining put up a fight, but it all came off in the end. I use Methylcellulose to soften the paper and adhesive to clean off the spine. #bookconservation #bookrepair #cleaningthespine #bookarts #torontobookarts
Starting a new bible repair at the shop. Let’s get Starting a new bible repair at the shop. Let’s get the cover and endpapers off the book so we can clean off that spine. #bookconservation #bookrepair #biblerepair #bookarts #torontobookarts
It’s time to lift the leather and paper on this bo It’s time to lift the leather and paper on this book cover. We insert repair materials under the original to hide the repair. #bookconservation #bookrepair #liftingleather #bookbinding
Thanks to @e.m._harrison, my presses are getting a Thanks to @e.m._harrison, my presses are getting a well deserved spa day. They’ll be clean and happily running by the end of the day. #letterpress #asbern #pressmaintenance #bookarts #canadianletterpress
We have two fun workshops coming up in the shop. L We have two fun workshops coming up in the shop. Learn to make the Storage Book and the Drum Leaf Binding. These two books use adhesive rather than thread, and are great for photos and prints. Great for prototypes or finished art books. See them on our website, link in the bio. #drumleafbinding #storagebook #bookarts #bookbinding #torontobookarts
I added a paper lining to the spine of this book t I added a paper lining to the spine of this book today. It supports the spine and makes the opening of the book flex correctly. The inside of this book is done, now I can work on the covers and spine. #bookconservation #bookrepair #spinelining #bookarts #torontobookarts
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