A Caxixi can be bought but my favourite is to wait one of these sessions with Mestre Sansao to build my own instrument. Here is how I made it.

Adding the seeds inside
Holding the handle together
Shaping the Caxixi
approximate length of the wires
starting weaving
… after 250 cm of weaving
softening the top with warm water
Separate the lines to close the Caxixi
Almost done but you still need to stay focused
keep the cutouts to finish your Caxixi

Nothing is set in stone so the technicality below is a guidance:

Use a blueprint to create your sizes.

Caxixi Sizes are approximately made of a round base of 18 or 23 centimeters (7 or 9 inches) diameters or so.

Close to the edge, place 9 or 11 holes (never an even number).

While the straw lines up are cuts to approximately 60 to 70 cm plus 1 half size, you will need more than 3 meters of straw (previously soften in warm water) to complete a Caxixi.

Add to this at least 3 meters to weave it around.

There is at least an extra meter of thin straw for the handle

I leave a video on this workshop, but please vote below if you need more details.

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