A Hand Stitched Cotton Sodenashi or Work Vest: Fine Sashiko Stitches

early to mid twentieth century
36 1/2" x 11 1/2", 92.7 cm x 29.25 cm (shoulder to hem x shoulder to shoulder)

This is a sleeveless work garment called a sodenashi in Japan; sodenashi means "without sleeves."

It is hand stitched from re-purposed cottons: three stripes distributed inside and out, two types of kasuri and solid blue cotton on the inside.

Please note the second dimension noted above is the span of the narrow shoulder area at the top of the garment.

The sodenashi is faded from age and wear--and please note the rows of vertical stitching to the back of the garment. The stitches are so small and tight that at first they appear machine stitched. On closer inspection you can see they are done by hand.

This type of garment is a typical one used for work and others of a similar style could have been made of materials different than the recycled cotton as this one is. Other type of sodenashi were made of rag woven cloth or of natural bast fibers such as hemp or Japanese indigenous materials.

A good-looking work garment still very wearable and a very good example of traditional work wear from old Japan.