Yes, you can free-design. You can use Patch Draw to trace an image or draw freehand or make an applique shape. The only requirement is that all shapes have to be completely enclosed, meaning you can draw a circle or ellipse or other shape and pull the curves out into your shapes. You can also import photos to be used in your quilt. New to EQ7, you can also apply filters, just like in PaintShop or Photoshop programs. Does that help you?