Christine and I have known Doug Sohn for many years. We met the Chicago sausage emporium kingpin through our mutual friend Mark Bello, back when Mark was involved in the day-to-day running of Right-On Futon. Mark designed the restaurant’s big-top decor and vibrant signage. Whenever I was in Chicago working on a Right-On Futon window display, we always had a dinner break at Hot Doug’s.
On our last visit in December with Right-On Futon co-owner Liz Hegel, Christine looked around the paraphernalia-bedecked restaurant and announced, “I’m going to make something for Hot Doug!”
Christine decided to sew a chain of felt pennants illustrating the Chicago-expression for “all-dressed”: Run It Through The Garden. An all-dressed Chicago hot dog comes with mustard, bright green relish, onions, tomatoes, pickles, hot peppers and celery salt. Christine included representations of each garnish on her pennant design, along with a cheeky naked hot dog.
Run It Through The Garden, 60″x12″, felt, embroidery, rickrack, Christine Cosby, 2014 (click image to view large)
Once Christine finished the pennants, she put them in a padded envelope and sent them to Doug. He was pleased:
 I wanted to thank you so much for the wonderful pennant gift. I’m incredibly flattered and it looks totally cool hung up in the restaurant.
If you want to the pennants and eat at Doug’s amazing restaurant, you only have until October 4, 2014. Hot Doug’s is going on permanent vacation.
Here are close-ups of the Run It Through The Garden pennants:
