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I have a crewel rug from Anthropologie, and I love it. I could only afford a small one, so I use it as a bedside rug. It is thin, but it still looks beautiful after two years. If you're looking for a beautiful color and pattern, go for it, but it's not going to be plush under your feet.

Same here, JV. I have the same color rug as the one shown but in the small size used as a bedside rug. I really like it - it's held up well for the year I've had it, but it is quite thin. With regular rugs, you can't see that there is a rug pad underneath it. If you would use a rug pad with this one, you would want it sized perfectly so it's not lumpy (for lack of a better word) around the border.

I have a light colored Anthropologie crewel rug and it has held up well for 18 months. However, it is in my bedroom and I never walk across it in shoes.

i also have an anthropologie crewel rug. it's 5x7 and i've had it in my dining area and my living room. the material has held up well, esp as the living room area is higher traffic (though we have a no shoes policy in my house). i've spot treated any spills and whatnot with success. after 1.5 years it is probably time for a real cleaning.

i'd suggest a thick rug pad (1/2" thick) for such a fine rug, but my bf is allergic to the material in the ones i've found. The Company Store has an "organic" rug pad for a little more $$ than the basic type, but these are the "grip" ones and don't have a real padding effect. They are better for keeping the rug in place: http://www.thecompanystore.com/parent/Rugs Rug Grips/3722/UI32X/

If you have pets, their nails will catch in the stitching, so think about that too.

I have looked at those rugs a thousand times and the one I really wanted was sold out before I had the courage to take it home. Does anyone know where else they have crewel rugs? I love the intricate designs and the bright colors and I wanted to drape one over the back of my white couch.

I have an 8X10 crewel rug from Anthropologie that didn't seem right for the area I purchased it for but just hung it on the wall and it makes a beautiful wall hanging. It was a good way for me to take up some wall space and repurpose an expensive item.

I have a crewel rug that I bought about 20 years ago, and it STILL looks pretty good, with just a few stitches missing. My only caveat is don't ever leave the rug folded for a long period of time, as the folding crease will never come out after that. Good luck

FYI, to remove a crease, you can put ice on the areas that are the worst (mine was folded twice so the double fold points were bad).

When it melts a little, smooth out the rug with the water and it will be fine. This post inspired me to take mine out of storage and I removed the creases quickly (it was folded for a few years!).

Another option might be ironing, but I haven't tried that.

In New York, check street fairs - there are vendors who sell crewel rungs BUT the ones at Anthropologie were adaptations of Central Asian textile designs, among other things. The ones sold at the fairs are more traditional dark reds and blues.

This crewel work is traditional in Kashmir, in northern India & Pakistan. Most of what is on the market comes from India. The modern commercial work is generally made into throw pillow covers and wall hangings and always has a coarse cotton or jute backing. There are different grades to the embroidery. The ones sold at Anthropolgie are the less expensive grade. You could Google Kashmir or Kashmiri crewel and see what comes up.

If you use it as a rug, definitely use a rug pad with it, to keep it from slipping and to protect the rug from wear.

The fact that a rug is thin has no bearing on durability. Much more of a concern is that they are crewel, and a high heeled shoe could catch in the embroidery and cause a thread to pull.

It's one of the basic facts of the Oriental rug world that the thinner the carpet, the shorter its lifespan.

Also, at my rug shop we haven't found that rug pads necessarily protect your rug -- although we do recommend buying a pad if your rug is slipping, or if you like the cushiony feeling it gives you underfoot.

See this article for more info: Oriental rug care.

One place to look for good priced rugs is Novica.com Their really nice crewel designs are mostly in smaller sizes, but you can contact the artists, and they may be able to make a bigger one for you, its worth a shot. They have a section dedicated to "Kashmiri chain-stiched rugs" which is where you will find the crewel ones.

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This rug is indeed not very plush . I think that it will hold up well for several years but if you do want to add more plushness try this rug pad

http://www.rugsusa.com/rugsusa/control/prod/~pid=145PRP-10014/~color=8274