How to get chrispy pictures in low light with Nikon J1?

Whenever i take pictures with my Nikon J1 in low light, they always end up kindof blurry. For and example, i was taking a picture of my sister and my cat by the fire, and i turned out blurry, even though there was afternoon light.
Do I really have to use a tripod all the time, or can i use some other settings? I'm kinda new with this, and i have'nt changed any of the standard settings on the camera.
I love taking pictures in the evening and night (especially the night sky) so any help will be very appreciated, Thanks: D

They are blurry 'cos there's not enough light and the camera is using a slower shutter speed to try to get enough light on the sensor.

Although your eyes might think it's bright enough, camera sensors are nowhere near the sensitivity of the human eye, so indoors it's generally too dark for fast shutter speeds.

Some options;
- open the aperture (it may already be at it's max)
- use a faster lens capable of a wider aperture (not sure what lenses are available for the J1), but you'd want f2.8 or faster (preferably f1.8)
- use a tripod (but then your subjects will have to stay still during the exposure)!
- increase the ISO (but ths will make your pictures 'noisier')
- use flash

You can't. The J1 is the worst camera Nikon has ever put on the market. It's no more than an advanced point & shoot with changable lens.
I'd sell it and buy a D-SLR. With a 50mm 1.8 lens, you'll have much better luck.