The provisional cast on is one of those techniques that you don't need to use often in knitting, but it is certainly a handy skill to have in your toolbox. After casting on, some stitches are immediately ready to work. Others are held on a piece of waste yarn or a spare needle cord so you can work in the opposite direction later.
One situation where I like to use the provisional cast on is for top down sweaters with round necklines. When I go back to finish the collar of my sweater, the neckline stitches are immediately ready to be worked and there's no need to pick up stitches to get started.
Pattern, Yarn, Needles and Notions
- Cereus Sweater pattern by The Chilly Dog
- Ewe So Sporty by Ewe Ewe Yarns
- addi Click Interchangeable Needles
Thanks to Ewe Ewe Yarn for providing the yarn used in this tutorial and Skacel for providing the addi needles, available at Makers' Mercantile.