IMHO the secret to provisional cast-ons is finding one that actually makes sense to you. They don’t need to be tricky, fiddly, confusing or infuriating.
Here’s a list of online tutorials for different techniques. I’ll be honest, I prefer those techniques that don’t mess with waste yarn. I think it’s incredibly nifty to have those stitches ready to knit when you need them, as opposed to trying to figure out where to pick them loose from, say, a crocheted provisional cast on. I don’t mind having an extra set of circular needles dangling (or at a larger gauge, a circular cord with the caps), especially for the few rows of stockinette that this particular pattern requires. (But then, I think knitting on 2 circulars is perfectly fine.)
Cast-ons specifically shown an extra circular cord/ needle:
Cast-ons involving waste yarn (most are easily adaptable to using the circular cord/needle)
- www.eunnyjang.com
- www.knittinghelp.com 2nd from bottom
- www.knittingdaily.com
- www.knitandtonic.net
- knittersblog.com
Other cast-ons: