Meet Winn

WHO IS WINN ARCHAMBEAU-MUÑOZ?

My knitting journey began when I was 7 years old. We were living in France at the time and my babysitters were looking for something engaging and entertaining for me to do. Little did they know what a life-long treasure they were giving me. Over our family’s year there I had many different babysitters – aka knitting teachers. I learned early-on that there is more than one way to tension, cast-on, and to knit. Something that I think is critical in teaching today.

I applied my early skills to knitting doll clothes and finally to my first raglan V-neck sweater when I was 12. There was always something on the needles (and some that shouldn’t have been, like the bright orange tulips on the front of a college sweater). Using my skills to make gifts forged important connections with friends and loved-ones. And yes, I broke a cardinal rule of knitting: “Never knit your man a sweater unless you’ve got the ring!” I knit my college boyfriend a sweater before I got the ring, but I got the man (and the ring)!

Throughout all my many life-adventures – teaching, traveling, and raising a family, knitting has played a role, not only as a creative outlet, giving gifts to loved-ones and charity, but as a way of connecting with people. One day as I was waiting for my husband and I was sitting in Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing, – knitting, of course – I met four Chinese ladies. None of us spoke the other’s language, but we admired each other’s work and they giggled at my use of a pattern.  They led me to understand they just look at something and figure it out and had no need for a pattern. There is definitely more than one way to knit!

I love teaching and helping people achieve their potential. After retiring from teaching high school alternative education and a stint of working in my husband’s office, I realized I needed more fiber in my life! I wanted to be around yarn and people creating with it. Fibers Etc., Roberta Lowes’ amazing collection of luxury fibers in Tacoma, has been the answer. You can find me there, teaching classes, offering advice on knitting, designing patterns for the shop and for Yarn Crawls, and just hanging out. I love sharing my enthusiasm for solving problems and helping people feel great about their accomplishments and skills.