About me

My name is Cally Booker and I live and weave in Dundee on the east coast of Scotland.

I have been an east coast girl all my life. My family come from east and north-east Scotland, but I grew up in East Anglia, on the edge of the fens.

To this day I thrive under big, open skies. I am drawn to places at the edge, where land and water meet… river banks, cliff-top paths, urban waterfronts… and feel a strong connection to the landscape and history of the east coast of Scotland.

Signposts to The North lift my spirit.

My approach to weaving

Weaving is a craft that can be meticulously planned or improvised at the loom and a combination of these approaches appeals to the different parts of my nature. I have a strong geeky streak, which can be seen in my use of complex weave structures and my use of data as a rich source of design inspiration. I am happy to spend hours plotting a course for my design and setting up the loom.

But my curiosity is restless, and while I’m weaving I typically can’t resist the impulse to see what happens when I …. Thus no two pieces are ever quite the same, as I vary colour and weave to explore all the possibilities. This practice is the basis of my Bonny Claith label, where I create micro-collections of luxurious hand-dyed and handwoven accessories, as well as the more experimental work that I make.

Making connections

I am passionate about making things by hand and share my love of weaving through The Weaving Space, a programme of weave classes held online and in my colour-filled studio, as well as through workshops for Guilds and groups around the UK. I have served on the editorial committee for the Journal for Weavers, Spinners & Dyers as weaving features editor and as committee chair, and I am a Past President of Complex Weavers.

Past exhibitions

For current exhibitions and events see this page.