How to Knit the Provisional Cast On Method

Check out the video below to learn how to knit the provisional cast on method, or read the written instructions for a printable, step-by-step guide.

Cut a strand of waste yarn with enough length for the number of stitches you need to cast on, plus a few extra stitches. Make a slip knot and place it on your crochet hook.

Take your knitting needle and place it parallel to your crochet hook. Keep your working yarn behind your needle.

Cross your needle behind your crochet hook and over your working yarn.

Hook your yarn with your crochet hook in front of your needle.

Pull a loop through your slipknot.

Move your yarn back behind your needle from between your crochet hook and needle.

Hook the yarn once again with your crochet hook in front of your needle and pull through another loop.

Repeat steps 6-7 until you have as many loops on your needle as the pattern calls for you to cast on.

Move your yarn in front of your needle and crochet a chain of at least a few stitches to make an "emergency chain." This is what you unravel later on to create your live stitches. For more information on how to crochet a chain, watch the video, or visit our friends over at AllFreeCrochet.

Pull the remaining length of waste yarn through your last chain, but not too tightly.

You now have all of your stitches cast on, plus your emergency chain complete, and you can begin knitting off your cast on stitches with the yarn designated for your project.

Once one side of your project has been knitted and you must pick up stitches from the other side of your cast on, take the end of your emergency chain and a needle that is slightly smaller than the one you used to knit your first side.

Pull the remaining length from step 12 back through the last chain the way you pulled it in. This is why you don't want to pull too tightly on step 12.

Start to unravel your chain.

Unravel until you reach the edge of your knitting.

Take your knitting needle and place it in your first stitch.

Pull the waste yarn so the chain which that stitch was connected to comes undone.

Go under your next stitch and place your needle through.

Repeat steps 6-7. Be careful not to accidentally pick up the waste yarn as you put your needle into your stitches. After you have reached the last stitch, pull the waste yarn entirely off of your work. You are now left with all live stitches with your pattern's yarn on your needles. You are now ready to start knitting the other side of your work.