77 char alternative python solution based on gnibbler's:
n=input()
k=0
exec"print' '*k+('*'*12+' '*(k%6*2+1))[-12:]*(n-k/6);k+=1;"*6*n
Amazingly the bonus came out exactly the same also (101 chars, oh well)
n=input()
l=1
k=0
s="print' '*k+('*'*12+' '*(k%6*2+1))[-12:]*(n-k/6);k+=l;"*6*n
exec s+'l=-1;k-=1;'+s
