I received the following email from Jodi Seila about a year ago and have remained in contact with her regarding her fascinating project.
First of all, I love your children’s book Charlie on the MTA. I have loved the song by the Kingston Trio since I was in high school in 1963. My husband, Andy and I had a love for folk music. We saw in your book more history about the song and how the Kingston Trio was contacted to record it.
Cambridge for 3 months. Andy is working at Norvartis with our daughter on new drug she is during research for heart failure. He retired from the University of Ga in Statistics and is helping with the data. I found a map made by a fellow who is in city planning that shows the “T” in 1941. It was the closest map to 1949. I wrote him and asked him if I could use his map for my quilt.
Since then, I found your book and purchased it from Amazon. Your map is a little different and I’m sure more accurate than what I have been using. I wanted to ask if you would give me permission to use the corrections I needed for my quilt. Also I wanted to include the street cars and your map includes the landscape in the areas of the street cars near Watertown, Forest Hills, and Boston College.
I plan to add some buildings and paved streets during the time of 1949. Could you provide me with a list of some of the buildings you see in the book? I thought you might also have a map of some on streets that I could add to the quilt. I have no idea how to place them on the quilt.
This is a very fun project, I enjoyed learning the history of your father running for mayor and using the song to raise money for his political campaign. (a true democrat) When the quilt is finished, I plan to show it in a quilt show near my home in GA and then give the quilt to my grandson with your book. He lives in Somerville and enjoys drawing treasure maps. The quilt is purely for my personal interest and will not be sold. I will give your book proper credit when I hang it. It is usually provided on the back of the quilt.
Thank you for your help and interest in my project.
After some more correspondence and permission from illustrator Caitlin Marquis and me throughout the year, Jodi sent me an update in April 2019 with a photograph of the completed quilt. What lucky grandchildren to have this piece of art to go along with the book!
Quilt made by Jodi Seila
I have finished my children’s quilt of the story of Charlie on the MTA. I wanted to share it with you. I plan to give you credit for the copy right of the book and illustrations. Would you please let me know how you would like for me to state it on the back of the quilt.
I plan to give the quilt and a copy of your book to my grandchildren in Boston to hang on their wall so they will know the story of Charlie and it’s history of your father running for Mayor.
This was a fun quilt to make. Thank you for letting me use your book to make it. Jodi
