Sounds familiar? Well it really need not be this way. It actually amazes me how many people do not use wholesalers and government auctions to save money on just about anything they could ever wish to purchase. It's possible to get regular discounts of 50% and more on top brand items just by knowing WHERE to shop.

Let us begin by looking at Government Auctions. While this article will focus on USA and UK it's worth noting that government auctions are held in many other countries too. A government auction is held to auction off various items (often at rock bottom prices) that government has legal ownership of. The type of items auctioned by various government agencies include vehicles, electronics, real estate, computers, jewellery and a lot more.

In UK, types of government agencies that will offer up bargain goods and properties include police and C&E - there are also private liquidation's due to corporate bankruptcies. Many hundreds of auctions are held yearly and there are scores of bargains to be had in most of them. It's not unusual to pickup a brand new widescreen TV at £30 or top spec PCs and laptops from a mere £200. It's possible to learn more here:

http://www.global-ebooks.com/UKGovAuctions.htm

This article explains how to make a basic dress, that you can then use as either a sundress, or that you can crochet dainty ruffles on for a more elegant fashion.

First you will want to grab your doll, a crochet hook, some yarn, a pen and a notebook. As you crochet, you will want to make sure that you write down all of your stitches so that you can save your design in writing.

First crochet a simple chain until it’s long enough to reach comfortably around neck of your doll. I usually crochet my chains to be long enough to just reach around width of neck, then I add 3 extra chains to give enough room for it to fit neatly without being too tight.

Next, crochet 2 singles stitches in each chain, and there you will have your basic neck.

Now, place your neck on your doll, with ends being centered in back, and mark stitches right underneath arms by inserting small bits of yarn into stitches. These can be removed once your arm loops are crocheted.

Double crochet to where arms should be (the area you marked with your bits of yarn), and then next make a chain using number of stitches marked previously with your bits of yarn. Now add 4 or 5 more chains to give a bit of extra room for arms.

To gauge if you have enough chain stitches, you can pin chain in place in last stitch not marked for arms, and see if "loop" slides onto arm easily.

Once you’ve gauged your chain, then double crochet in next unmarked stitch to close "loop" onto neckpiece.

Now double crochet to next arm area, and create a chain with same number of stitches as your previous chain, close that loop as well, and then double crochet to end of neckpiece.

Now chain 3, turn and double crochet one row, while adding same number of double crochet stitches onto "loop" as you had for number of chains.

Chain 3, turn again and double crochet to right underneath arm. If your doll has "breasts" then you will want to place your bodice on your doll, and mark stitches that lay right over dolls "breasts".

Note: If your doll does not have breasts, then just double crochet across.

Now double crochet to "breasts" section of bodice, and based on how large your doll is you will need to add a few double crochet stitches in breasts area.

Typical fashion dolls only need to have 3 double crochet stitches added, in one stitch over breasts.

Whereas larger dolls may need to have 6 stitches added into 2 stitches.

To determine how many stitches to add, crochet 3 double crochet stitches in first stitch you marked, try bodice on doll and see if it fits comfortably. If it appears to be too tight, just add 3 more double crochet stitches into next stitch, and so on until it fits well.