The provisional cast on or invisible cast on is used in the toe to cuff patterns.
The technique is quite simple once you get the hang of it.
In the pictorial, the waste yarn is maroon and the sock yarn is yellow.
Step 1:
ˇ Cut a piece of waste yarn or crochet cotton in a contrasting color.
ˇ Knot your sock yarn to the waste yarn.
Step 2:
Hold the waste yarn over your left index finger, hold the sock yarn over your thumb. As in the picture above, with needle in front of waste yarn, insert the needle under the sock yarn and draw up.
Step 3:
ˇ Swivel needle point behind waste yarn and under sock yarn.
ˇ Draw up sock yarn behind waste yarn as pictured below.
Two stitches have been made.
Step 4:
ˇ Swivel needle point in front of waste yarn and under sock yarn.
ˇ Draw up sock yarn in front of waste yarn as pictured below.
Repeat steps 3 and 4 until all stitches are cast on.
Turn.
When working the first stitch, be sure to have the waste yarn crossing over the sock yarn. This will hold the first stitch in place.
When the toe shaping is complete, insert a free needle into the sts on the waste yarn. Untie the knot and remove the waste yarn.
You will find when working the first row of the provisional cast on, after removing the waste yarn, that alternate stitches will be backwards. Reseat the stitch properly before working.