One opportunity that has proved popular, is to get involved with Ickworth’s Historic Costume Sewing Circle Group. The group are making replica costumes, copying a portrait “The Conversation Piece”, by Gravelot, Liotard and others, of the Hervey family from 1750. The portrait hangs in the Smoking Room.

The current project is making a set of adult sized replica costumes from the portrait, making them as historically accurate as possible. Alongside these are child-sized copies, which are designed to be tried on. As well as exhibitions we will use the costumes for display purposes, for live interpretation, for school workshops and events.

The group now meets every other Thursday, any time between 10am and 3pm at Ickworth. So far they have also put on two exhibitions of work in progress.

The members make an excellent team, each bringing a huge range of experience to the project, from professional dressmakers and pattern cutters, to embroiderers and costume enthusiasts.

There is also plenty of scope for the enthusiastic novice to gain new skills. Each item of clothing is researched by the group using books, paintings and trips to see examples of costume, so far to Carrow House in Norwich, the V&A and Kensington Palace.

The sewing circle now has enough members, but there are still many other ways you can get involved in volunteering at Ickworth, from room stewarding to raffle ticket selling.