Behind the Finish: Julia Navik of Fairlywell Handmade
Meet a professional finisher committed to doing good
Meet Julia Navik, the finisher behind Fairlywell Handmade in the latest installment of Behind the Finish. I originally reached out to Julia on IG because I really admired her work and her progress pics. But as it turns out, Julia is also a really great human (!!) and uses her platform for doing good.
Get to know Julia, her journey to become a finisher, the Craftivism campaign, and admire her absolutely beautiful finishing below.
Amanda: Hi Julia, thank you so much for agreeing to chat about all things finishing! Let’s get introduced. When did you start stitching and finishing?
Julia: I began stitching at the end of 2023, inspired by the sets of needlepoint ornaments I saw posted around that time. I have done my own finishing the entire time, building on my 4-H kid crafting skills! I have been sewing clothing and home items and knitting since I was a small child, and I enjoy doing hand work very much. The artistry of needlepoint finishing really appealed to me. Even with some existing skills, it took practice to feel confident making ornaments for myself, let alone others.
Amanda: When did you start finishing for other stitchers?
Julia: One of the friends I made via needlepoint Instagram trusted me with a set of her work, and I enjoyed doing it so much that I soft-launched finishing in October 2024. It was interesting timing - two things happened at almost the same moment. My husband lost his job, and the owner of my most-visited LNS asked if I would be interested in finishing for her store. I rather quickly became a full-time finisher! He has landed in an even better job, but I plan to continue working full-time because the work suits me so well. That also allows me to contribute to community organizations that I think are doing good things.
Amanda: What kinds of finishes do you offer?
Julia: I do ornaments, standups (gusseted or soft), pillows, clutch inserts, pouch-style bags, sunglass cases… you name it! I have been working on my skills with picture frames and eventually want to be proficient in cartonnage, but that is a work in progress. I am mostly not taking new clients, but I occasionally break that rule.
Amanda: Same boat. There’s so many stitchers and not enough finishers and its important to focus on servicing your existing clients well. Very interested in cartonnage finishes, too!
Amanda: Tell us a little bit about your approach to finishing.
Julia: As I frequently say, I am always learning. There’s almost no way that I can do everything I find interesting, but I’m trying! I would love to learn to finish leather, but that is really an entirely new set of skills. I hope that the content that I post inspires confidence in other crafters to try things.
There is a lot of room to grow in the finishing world, so talking to other finishers becomes a collaboration of skills rather than a competition. At this time I haven’t made any tutorials, but I am more than willing to share my process.
Amanda: I agree, the learning is one of the most fun parts of finishing and there are many lovely, generous finishers who like to “talk shop”.
Amanda: In addition to finishing, you also use your platform for good which I love. Can you tell us a little bit about your current Craftivism campaign?
Julia: While looking for a way to “give back,” I came up with the idea for a Craftivism Raffle. Individuals who send proof of a $50 donation to an organization that enriches their community, are entered in a raffle to win one of a growing list of prizes. My initial contribution was $1,500 in finishing credit with me, but as word has spread. I have been joined by designers and finishers offering really great prizes.
Amanda: What’s next for Fairlywell Handmade?
Julia: I am fascinated by cartonnage and want to acquire that skill. I think it’s very interesting to follow the learning process, so I do post my practice - even if it’s not good yet. Another thing I’m excited to expand is creative finishing ideas. A client gave me carte blanc on a beautiful large Halloween-themed round, which I am going to turn into a gusseted standup with battery-operated fairy lights behind the canvas to evoke moonlight.
I encourage anyone interested in doing their own finishing to spend the time to learn! With practice, your hands figure out what to do. If you cut carefully and stitch only, no glue (I know, I know!) you can always take apart a finish and try again.
Learning to sew pillows is a different set of skills, but absolutely possible to learn, especially if you have basic sewing skills already.
Amanda: Love all your tips and the “you can do it” spirit. Thank you so much for chatting with us! Where can people connect with you?
Julia: Instagram is where I am most active, but I do post to TikTok from time to time. So far I am able to keep up with messages, and I love talking about the fun of crafting!
Connect with Julia on Instagram here, Tik Tok here, or email Julia at fairlywell@gmail.com. Julia is currently at capacity for new finishing clients, but has great inspiring finishing ideas on her pages and a terrific follow.
Behind the Finish is a project dedicated to the celebration of inspiring finishes and the people behind them. View the archive here.
If you know of someone who would make a great feature, please email finishingfairy@gmail.com or message me here on Substack.
Love Julia’s work!! ❤️❤️