Off the Rails (or belts as the case may be...)

I finally got up the gumption to take my machine off the belts (that are attached to the drivers that the computer uses to make the computerized quilting patterns). 

So, I could free hand!!!  I tried to free hand with the belts still attached and it was just too much resistance.  However, without the belts it quilts like a DREAM!!!  I got to going so fast that I broke the thread...so - note to self...slow down : D.

Here is my 1st attempt at freehanding...if you look closely you can see lots of lessons that I learned.  For instance, do NOT look away.  You will end up with an interesting (or not so interesting) boo boo!

I echo quilted this one - and of course after I started, I thought of several other patterns that I want to try on the next few...so guess I'll be going off the rails a lot in the future!!!  Yay!