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starshapedpress.bsky.social
Starshaped Press
@starshapedpress.bsky.social
1.2K followers 230 following 270 posts
Celebrating 26 years of metal & wood type letterpress work. Love to share the process, forms and printing adventures. Jen & Jo.
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starshapedpress.bsky.social
Made some tiny metal type bikes. #letterpress
Hand holding composing still with tiny metal type forms representing bikes.
January 22, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by Starshaped Press
starshapedpress.bsky.social
We really like our neighbors. More details about this print here: https://www.starshaped.com/small-prints/neighbors
#letterpress
A yellow print with a flower that says ‘you don’t stop wars with guns & bombs. You stop war by talking to your neighbors’ said by John Wayne Fry.
June 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Wrote about a recent, massive metal type ornament reorganization in the shop. www.starshaped.com/blog/2026/1/...
Close up of many 1/4 cases for letterpress ornaments with new labels showing what’s in each case.
January 17, 2026 at 3:41 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
New Print Club prints feature type that says ‘hang on’ and ‘let go’. Been thinking a lot about what we hang on to and what needs to be let go of in so many ways. #letterpress
Wood type in a form for printing with large letters saying ‘hang on’ and a mirrored set of type saying ‘let go’.
January 15, 2026 at 6:13 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Pretty stoked about our new stickers for outgoing orders, made by @busybeaverbuttonco.bsky.social. Digital typefaces designed by @chgohoods.bsky.social. We keep it local.
Close up of stickers on envelope backs that are round and say ‘thanks for supporting a small business today’.
January 14, 2026 at 8:27 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
This year’s New Year mailing, featuring del Toro’s response to AI art. Feels appropriate to set in 19th century type & ornament given the unbelievable (and largely lost) skill needed to design & cast items with this level of detail. #letterpress
A card made with 19th century type that has the Guillermo del toro quote: the value of art is not how much it costs and how little effort it requires. It’s how much would you risk to be in its presence. Card sits on top of the type form.
January 13, 2026 at 7:31 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Happy birthday, Andre de Shields.
#letterpress www.starshaped.com/last-call/fa...
Print held up by a hand that says ‘slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be’.
January 13, 2026 at 4:40 AM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Cueing up some gorgeous 19th century type for printing today. #letterpress
Close up of elaborate metal type form with ornate borders and type.
January 9, 2026 at 9:19 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Throwback to the city commissioning art to promote vaccines in 2021. 7-color print, all metal & wood type. More info & process here: www.starshaped.com/postersprint...
Multi-colored letterpress poster that says ‘vaccinations save lives’ with addition text saying ‘for you’ ‘for your family’ ‘for your neighborhood’. Cityscape in the background with floral ornaments to look like gardens and small neighborhood buildings in the front.
January 6, 2026 at 5:57 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Snippet from ‘The City is my Religion’ print from a portfolio project of the same name, 2020. It’s a church of sorts, made up of local buildings with colors to mimic stained glass. Considering a reprint. #letterpress
Close up image of multi colored print or ornaments laid out to be various buildings in Chicago with text that says ‘the city is my religion and studs Terkel is the preacher and the staple singers are the choir’.
December 26, 2025 at 5:13 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Prize for the first type nerd who can identify this delightful set of 1- and 2-color ornaments. I believe it’s monotype. #letterpress
Galley of sets of metal type ornaments as a family with different sizes and combinations.
December 22, 2025 at 10:22 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Undertaking a massive ornament reorganization in the shop and stumbled on the delightful name ‘colorets’ for these simple workhorses that are used all the time. Love the added suggestion for sketching colored pencil ideas. #letterpress
Page of type specimen book showing ‘cubist colorets’ of various sizes and colorways.
December 21, 2025 at 3:25 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Cleaning day for these hometown heroes. Composing sticks for setting metal type. #letterpress
Close up of metal composing sticks for letterpress typesetting.
December 20, 2025 at 5:28 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Thanks to the 200+ Print Club subscribers that have helped sustain the studio this year. The December print is mailing now… a little reminder we all have what we need if we choose it: compassion, kindness, acceptance, empathy, love. #letterpress
Print that says ‘we have everything we need’ in metal type ornaments with a border that are meant to resemble cross stitch.
December 20, 2025 at 12:10 AM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Used the opportunity of a clean, post-open house studio to get updated photos, which my dog photobombed in a good way. #letterpress
Long shot of printing studio with presses and dog in front, long table in the middle and type cabinets in the back.
December 15, 2025 at 2:59 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Join us for our annual open house tonight! Presses are running, prints and cards are for sale, and we’ve got snacks. The metal type shown here (reversed) is Pastel, designed and cast in Chicago and made popular by silent film intertitles. #letterpress
Metal type on brass galley that says ‘tonight!’ Photo is reversed to make type right reading. Additional digital type added about location and time of open house (December 13, 5-9 pm, 4636 N Ravenswood Chicago).
December 13, 2025 at 2:38 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
New wintry cards inspired by sweater weather and featuring some lovely ornaments. One for Chicago, too. www.starshaped.com/holiday
Close up of multi colored greeting cards with sweater-inspired designs.
December 12, 2025 at 4:41 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Handy boxes are candy for letterpress printers. Each contains a tidy little set of borders or ornaments on a theme. Recently found this one in the shop with an additional supplier sticker.
Close up of small paper ‘handy box’ with Grand Rapids labeling.
December 11, 2025 at 4:20 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
A print featuring the delightful, modular wood ornaments designed and cut by Moore Wood Type. It’s 4 colors, swapping various cuts to create 9 unique ornaments. #letterpress www.starshaped.com/holiday/moor...
White print with muted images of Christmas ornaments lined up in three rows.
December 10, 2025 at 10:44 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Tiny Chi on press tonight. Heading to holiday cards at the open house Saturday evening. #letterpress
Angled shot of small metal type modular skyline of Chicago with snowflake ornaments.
December 9, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Reposted by Starshaped Press
bowerbox.com
Looking for gift ideas for that letterpress printer? My brand new type is ONLY available from me, as I designed, engraved, and cast it myself! Order before Dec 15 for holiday shipping. www.bowerbox.com/product/new-...
December 8, 2025 at 8:02 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Some truly spectacular metal type ornaments here, spanning 100 years of design & production at numerous foundries across the country. 6-pointed snowflakes are the newest, designed & cast by @bowerbox.com #letterpress
Close up of metal printing type ornaments.
December 5, 2025 at 10:09 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Saturday, December 13th, 5-9pm is our 26th annual open house. All are welcome to hang, pull a print and grab a drink. We’ll let you touch the new Cooper, @dansinker.com & @fritzswanson.bsky.social. #letterpress
Red invitation to annual holiday open house sitting on top of wood type.
December 4, 2025 at 4:35 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Down to the last 5 library prints, made with old, gummed slips given to me by library pal @katierizz.bsky.social. #letterpress
www.starshaped.com/stationery-e...
Small, vintage library ‘due’ card with printed text on it that says ‘a library book, I imagine, is a happy book. -Cornelia funke’.
December 3, 2025 at 3:50 PM
starshapedpress.bsky.social
Feeling a bit Leonard Cohen today. Printed years ago as a custom commission but got a few available. #letterpress www.starshaped.com/postersprint...
Dark gray print with silver printed lyrics for ‘bird on the wire’ surrounded by ornamental patterns in black ink.
December 3, 2025 at 1:58 AM