WIWS: Vintage Housedress

I didn't make it to church today because I had to stay home with a sick kiddo (Boo) and the baby (because I'm her lovie), and the weather is kind of wonky, so I started out the day in a dress that was for cooler weather and then changed to this breezy housedress by late morning so I wouldn't die of heatstroke.  It isn't really that warm, but the humidity is high and it feels like a storm is coming.  

So this dress.  This was one of the first real vintage dresses I bought in 2012 when I first started with my 1940s thing.  It was more than I normally spend on clothing, but I just fell in love with the print and the silhouette.  It is handmade, and the woman who sewed this dress was shorter and stouter than me. At the time, however, I was just happy to find a vintage dress that fit me. 

The dress was billed as feedsack, but I don't think it is.  It is definitely vintage, possibly 1940s or 1930s, going by the print, but it feels more like lawn than feedsack.  It it is a nice breezy dress, but the fabric is fragile, and I've already had to make significant repairs to it over the time I've owned it.  I'm careful about what I plan to do while wearing it--babywearing is too hard on the fabric, particularly under the arms where I've done most of the repairs so far.  I didn't wear it this summer because it isn't nursing friendly at.all, but I did pull it out for this transitional season we're having now.  I usually wear it with a slip that visually lengthens it, but as I'm just hanging out at home with kiddos today, I decided to give it a miss.

I didn't realize it until I was going through photos, but I actually have several of this dress from the past couple of years. I wore it while 8 months pregnant with Ponchik (see below).  I was wearing it the day I went into labor with her, and wore it to and from the hospital, not realizing when I went in that day that I'd be coming home five days later with an impressive abdominal scar and a preemie baby!

8ish months pregnant with Ponchik, Spring 2013;

And, coming home from the hospital with preemie Ponchik,May 2013; Rosie the Riveter has nothing on my arms.

 In other news, the #OutlanderWedding was yesterday, and I was a bit bereft to miss watching it with everyone else, so I watched Tess of the D'Urbavilles (the BBC version) on amazon the last few days while working on the pullover knit.  Thomas Hardy is never one for a pickmeup, and Tess doesn't disappoint in this manner.  (Jude is also good, but again, kind of depressing.  The stories are equally bleak)  But Eddie Redmayne was a treat to watch--he really surprises me as an actor; there is a lot going on below the surface with him, and the contrast with his baby face is so interesting.

I watched the first half of The English Patient again this afternoon while knitting during quiet time, and I noticed new things this go-round, as it has been several years since my last viewing.

Here's my progress so far:   

The twisted rib is pretty stretchy, but it looks so small!  I'm hoping it will fit.

Linking with Fine Linen and Purple!