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Moroccan Geometry: S1 HW: 12-fold pattern with circles





Orient the page in profile form, as the design has a greater length along its vertical axis than its horizontal axis



  • With the compass, draw the central circle and divide it into 6 equal parts. With the ruler, draw the vertical and both diagonal axes through the center. 

  • With the compass set at the same radius, place its point at the intersections of each axis where it meets the circle, and make a mark bisecting the access outside the center circle. These will be the centers of the 6 surrounding circles. Draw the 6 surrounding circles. These should touch the edge of the adjacent circles (center, left, and right) without overlapping them.

  • Begin to divide each of these 6 circles into 6 equal parts. 
    • The axis already defines the first 2 points.
    • Placing the point of the compass (same radius) at the point where it’s predefined axis already crosses the outermost point of the circle, and make 2 marks on either side for the second two points.
    • The last 2 points as where the circle meets its adjacent circles on the left and right. Mark these points by placing the compass point where the primary axis crossed the innermost point on the circle, and make 2 marks on either side.

  • Now divide each of the 7 circles further into twelfths, beginning with the middle one. Line the ruler up with the meeting point of the 4 circles above and below the center circle, depending on the orientation of the page. Make marks at the top and bottom of the center circle along the ruler. Repeat twice more while turning the page.

  • For the remaining circles, divide these into twelfths by lining up points on adjacent circles, and lining up points on opposite circles, and making the division marks.





  • Along one of the circles, number the marks from 1 to 12, as you would on a clock, using the main axis for the 12 and 6.

  • Placing the compass point on the even numbers, beginning with 2, set the radius so that it spans 3 marks, and draw an arc connecting 5 to 11. Repeat from point 4, drawing an arc connecting 7 to 1, and repeat at each even number, moving around the circle to create 6 arcs. Extend the arcs until they touch the neighboring circles, and outside the circle until they intersect with each other. This will form a rounded 6-pointed star in the middle of the circle.




  • Maintaining the same orientation of the page move on to the remaining circles, repeating step 7. You need not print the numbers, unless you need to have a guide.







  • Shorten the compass radius to create the channels, taking care not to close off the points of the rounded stars within the circles. 


  • When tracing the channels, determine the over/unders, then draw the same line on each of the 6 circles to consistently do it the same way each time.


















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