i was going to say the rubber puzzle floor pieces.
i have them in my gym and i love them. its easy to clean and easy on the body/feet.
i have carpeting in my sewing room and i hate it for all the same reasons listed - pins are hard to find, thread is every where and its so hard to get up, rolling around the work space is a challenge. it was already in the room when we moved here - so i had no choice.
if i were to start over i'd go for the rubber floor puzzle pieces for sure - you can get them at walmart real cheap.