While we were talking about cotton yarn last week I was playing with a light weight (both in sense of yarn weight and actual weight) cotton known as Lion Brand Bonbons. These sweet little balls have 28 yards of yarn and are packaged together with eight different colors.

A lemony swatch of Bonbons. © Sarah E. White.

One little ball could make a tiny project for a doll or a bit of wee amigurumi, while combining several balls could make a bigger, more colorful project. Or you could use them to embroider on or otherwise embellish a project worked in different yarn.

I found these little yarns to be really charming, easy to knit with and fun to use. They really are like little candy treats to give yourself room to play and explore.

Have you tried Bonbons? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

I've been traveling a lot this month, and I know this is the time of year when a lot of people are away from their homes a lot more often. If you're a woman, you have to take all your "purse stuff" along with you, and if you're a knitter you'd probably like to take a project with you while you're out on the go as well.

The Jordana Paige Cezanne bag, perhaps a little more full than it ought to be. © Sarah E. White.

How do you do all that without carrying two bags? You either need a really big purse or a knitting bag that does double-duty, like the Cezanne bag from Jordana Paige.

This lovely shoulder bag (seriously, you will not believe it's not real leather) has a ton of pockets and two big compartments, one that's made to hold your day-to-day essentials and the other that is meant for your knitting. The knitting project side has yarn pockets on the sides and two snap-close loops to keep your yarn from tangling, while the other side has pockets for tools and daily supplies, card slots and more pockets.

I used this bag when I went on my knitting retreat with the Yarn Harlot, and admittedly I filled it up a little too much, but had I had a smaller project with me it would have nicely carried my yarn for class, a couple of books, my phone, wallet and other supplies quite easily. This is definitely my new go-to bag for travel knitting.

Do you have a favorite knitting bag? I'd love to hear about it.

Need some more ideas for summertime knitting? Check out Kristi Porter's two excellent books on the subject.

Knitting in the Sun by Kristi Porter. Wiley.

Knitting in the Sun and More Knitting in the Sun are written by a California knitter who still finds ways to knit -- and use her knits -- all  year long. In these books you'll find accessories, sleeveless, short-sleeved and long-sleeved items, wraps and other goodies for the warm weather, whether that's just a couple months of the year where you live or all year round.

The first book focuses on projects for women, while the second book is all about kids. I actually liked the second book better because of the variety and the fact that many of the projects go up to size 12 -- and you don't find a lot of knitting patterns fitting that demographic.

If you've read or knit from either of these books, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Cotton yarn is not just for washcloths, though of course that's a great use for it and I have made a bunch of knit washcloths through the years (my daughter loves using them, too, which is a bonus). Here are some more project ides for working with this versatile yarn.

I love this Slip Stitch Baby Blanket, and the parents loved that it was machine washable. © Sarah E. White.

• The Slip Stitch Baby Blanket is one of my all-time favorites. Cotton is perfect for a summer baby and parents will appreciate that it's machine washable.
• Speaking of summer babies, the Cotton Beanie is a super-simple and quick knitting project that can easily be embellished to suit mom's taste.
• Bamboo stitch is a lot of fun to knit, and this three-color Bamboo Stitch Table Runner makes a nice statement on your table any time of year.
• Another interesting choice for the table is the Andalusian Stitch Napkin. It's a commitment to knit a whole set, but they sure are pretty.
• Finish off your knit table with quick and easy Cabled Napkin Rings.
• And if you're tired of knitting washcloths, try a Soap Sack to hold your favorite bar and give it a little scrubbing action.