Cynthia Anderson is an educator and a designer of eco-friendly upcycled fashions for women and children. She has written articles for Altered Couture and Green Craft and presented workshops on upcycling clothing. She lives in Fairway, Kansas.

Something from nothing is my favourite equation so I was excited to find 50 Nifty Thrifty Upcycled Fashions by Cynthia Anderson, which promises to be a guide to creating a fun, stylish new wardrobe from tired old pieces and found treasures.I have recently re-discovered jumble sales, which appear to be undergoing a resurgence in our locale, so now and then I am able to source garments far more cheaply than even at charity shops or on Ebay. Having a book like this, I thought, would encourage me to buy those too-big but great quality pieces and alter them myself, as the author would show me how to transform any old thing into unique, eco-friendly fashion. However, although the author says readers only need to have basic machine and hand-sewing skills, it does also require a huge amount of confidence and general flair. A lot of projects need you to "draw four arches on the garment with chalk - one centre front, one centre back and one on each side just under the bustline". I really need a diagram to show me exactly what this means before I get the scissors out. In addition, the sewing steps are put together in a paragraph and I need bullet points. Photos or sketches to explain each new technique would have been very helpful. I know Cynthia Anderson is keen for her readers to "think Wabi Sabi, not perfection or mathematical precision" but there is a fine line between "wacky" and "failed". There are good tips for sourcing materials and adding details and embellishments and plenty of colourful ideas for creating one-of-a-kind fashions from different eras on a budget.I would recommend Cynthia Anderon's book to anyone studying textiles or fashion who is skilled with a needle and prepared to throw caution to the wind. Even though upcycling is a penny-pinching, eco-minded hobby, I don't think I'm quite ready for a creative adventure on this scale just yet.