We were lucky to catch up with Deidre Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Deidre thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I learned to sew entirely on my own—every bit of it through trial and error. My first project was a fashion line for my Barbie dolls, all hand-sewn when I was just nine. Fast forward a few decades, and I didn’t truly take up the craft again until I had my first child. Children’s wear is easy and fast… at first. But once you start making coats and holiday outfits, it becomes just as challenging as adult clothing. That intimidated me, and for the longest time, I avoided sewing for myself because I didn’t want my clothes to look “homemade.” For some reason, that fear stuck with me.

Now, the pieces I create are polished—you’d never know they weren’t ready-to-wear. But I’ve learned that being obsessive about mastering your craft can hold you back. Perfectionism keeps you stuck when sometimes you just need to go for it. Cut the expensive fabric. Take the risk. Don’t be afraid to fail. I’ve come to see fear as a challenge, and now, I’ll try anything because, really, what is there to lose?

I treat everything as a resource—books, tutorials, other sewists, all of it. The one thing I haven’t done yet is take a couture sewing class (or any formal class), but that’s definitely on my wish list. The thing I value most now is my fearlessness. If I mess up, I grind it out until I fix it. Patience, attention to detail, a critical eye, and being honest with myself and my style—those are the essentials for building the wardrobe of my dreams.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

What I want my followers to know most is that I’m a source of information and, hopefully, inspiration. I chose to pursue my passion for sewing initally to have new, high-quality clothes. But over time, sewing became a form of therapy. There’s something about the whole process—selecting patterns, redrafting, choosing fabrics, cutting, sewing, altering, and perfecting the fit—that makes the stress of the day totally disappear.

I share my entire process, from start to finish, because sewing isn’t an outdated hobby. And especially not for midlife women. We are often overlooked, but I take pride in aggressively promoting a style that challenges what the world thinks women my age should wear.

Beyond sewing, I also share my midlife journey—everything that comes with it, from post-menopausal changes like hair thinning, mood swings, brain fog, and sleepless nights to the way all of this intersects with personal style. I don’t shy away from these conversations because the more we normalize them, the more they resonate with other women who need to hear them. And in many ways, sewing and this journey go hand in hand.

Anyone who looks through my blog or social media will see the same message—I am authentic in the sewing journey I share. And when I’m fortunate enough to partner with brands, I choose those partnerships intentionally, often with small businesses that align with my values. At the end of the day, it’s about creating, sharing, and uplifting a community of women who are bold enough to define their own style and their own creative path.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I dearly wish social media had been around when I first started sewing, back when the internet was in its early stages. The amount of knowledge I’ve gained from the sewing community is unreal! This is one of the happiest, most supportive spaces out there—we freely (and I do mean freely) share information, resources, critiques, and encouragement with one another. I also love how the community has evolved to support so many women-owned small businesses.

And YouTube—or as I like to call it, YouTube University. Being able to see step-by-step tutorials has dramatically shortened the learning curve. If I could give one piece of advice to anyone starting out, it would be to lean into the community. The support, the knowledge, and the inspiration are truly invaluable.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is pretty straightforward—I want a completely me-made wardrobe and to be even more fearless with my style. I love that my look is slightly sexy but still very classic. I’d love to expand on that by creating a more cohesive and personalized wardrobe.

Beyond that, my bigger goal is to build an online presence that generates enough income to fuel the post-career lifestyle I want—while staying completely authentic. I know that’s pretty bold, but I honestly would love to earn while I sew. That’s my dream.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sewhotmommi.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sewhotmommi/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVmOo1ebtV6pdd1UCuRBINQ
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sewhotmommiofficial
  https://www.amazon.com/shop/sewhotmommi

Image Credits

Michael C. Johnson Photography