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Quilt Notes: Most beautiful things, even scientific truths it is said, are very simple (see ART SQUARE, for example), but this BEAUTIFUL STAR (also called LADIES' BEAUTIFUL STAR) is quite complex, as can be seen by the 20 x 20 grid required to draft it (the distribution of units from left to right and top to bottom is 5-3-2-2-3-5). When tiled (scroll down to see) it produces a DODECAGON, a 12-sided polygon, which just by itself is an incredibly gorgeous geometric form (see more at Wikipedia).
The first incarnation in print of LADIES' BEAUTIFUL STAR traces back to the Ladies Art Company Catalogue, published from the late 19th century. In fact, it is honored there by being the very first entry, LAC #1. The traditional dark-light arrangement would follow the example upper right, dark star on white, with a medium color background, but other combinations can produce some extraordinary results.
Here are more examples at this site of blocks with secondary circular designs, created by straight-edge polygons in the tiling pattern:
• ARROWHEADS (dodecagon)
• BLOCK STAR (irregular dodecagon)
• GEORGETOWN CIRCLES (octagon)
• GRANDMA'S SURPRISE (octagon)
• JAPANESE FLOWER (irregular dodecagon)
• PIGEON TOES (octagon)
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(LADIES) BEAUTIFUL STAR
