500+ DMC Color Chart With Names and Numbers Colors

A DMC color chart with names and numbers lets you quickly match an embroidery pattern’s thread code with the correct DMC color, name, and shade. DMC’s current Mouliné Spécial range contains about 500 solid colors, while digital reference sites may show different totals depending on whether they include specialty or historical codes.

If you’ve ever stared at a pattern calling for “310,” “666,” or “3865” and wondered which skein belongs in your shopping basket, you’re not alone. A searchable DMC thread color chart, color family filter, printable PDF, and physical shade card can turn that frustrating hunt into a quick lookup. The important detail is that digital colors are approximations, so color-critical projects should ultimately be checked against real floss.

DMC Thread Color Chart

A DMC thread color chart connects three things you constantly need while stitching: the DMC number, the color name, and the actual shade. For example, DMC 310 is Black, 321 is Red, 666 is Bright Red, 699 is Green, and 3865 is Winter White in current reference materials.

DMC numbers are catalog identifiers rather than a simple light-to-dark color scale. That distinction matters when reading a cross-stitch pattern. You cannot assume that neighboring numbers represent neighboring shades, so searching the DMC color code directly is usually faster and more reliable than guessing from the number.

The official DMC numerical listing provides the standardized reference for DMC color codes and descriptions; third-party charts sometimes use alternate descriptive names, so the DMC code is the safest identifier when ordering floss.

DMC Embroidery Floss Colour Chart

A DMC embroidery floss colour chart is more than a list of pretty shades. It is a working reference for matching pattern legends, organizing thread collections, selecting gradients, and replacing missing skeins. DMC describes Mouliné Spécial as six-strand, 100% cotton embroidery floss available in approximately 500 vibrant shades.

The most useful charts combine a DMC number, color name, family, and visual swatch. Digital databases may also add HEX or RGB values, but those should be treated as screen references rather than laboratory measurements of dyed cotton. For an important project, a physical shade card remains the safer final comparison.

Free Printable DMC Colour Card

A printable DMC color card is useful when you shop for floss away from your computer or keep a working reference beside your embroidery frame. Some online charts provide a PDF containing color numbers and names, allowing you to search digitally and keep a paper copy for quick project planning.

For genuinely color-sensitive work, however, printed ink is not equivalent to thread. DMC itself explains that online or printed charts can approximate colors, while a card containing actual thread samples provides a more reliable visual reference. That difference becomes especially important when choosing subtle gradients.

The complete DMC floss color chart

A complete DMC floss color chart should make it easy to locate a code, identify its name, recognize its family, and understand whether you’re viewing a standard solid or another DMC thread category. Current online databases vary in their totals because they may include different product scopes and historical or specialty codes.

For the standard Mouliné Spécial range, DMC currently describes the palette as approximately 500 solid shades. Its official shade-card materials are designed to help stitchers compare light, medium, and dark tones across the collection.

The table demonstrates why the number is the most dependable lookup key. Names can differ slightly among third-party chart publishers, but the DMC code is the identifier used on patterns and product references.

How DMC numbers work

DMC numbers are catalog codes, not a simple color spectrum. Seeing 309 beside 310 does not mean the two shades are neighboring colors: 309 is a rose shade while 310 is Black. The numbering developed as the DMC range expanded, so number proximity cannot reliably predict visual similarity.

This is one of the easiest mistakes for beginners to make. If a pattern calls for DMC 823, do not simply look at nearby numbers and choose what seems close. Search for 823 directly, then compare its actual shade with the surrounding palette. That small habit prevents many substitution mistakes.

A note on the hex values

HEX and RGB values are useful for digital embroidery planning, especially when creating a palette, designing a pattern on screen, or matching colors in software. They allow a digital tool to represent the approximate appearance of a DMC thread and can make large color libraries much easier to search.

But a screen cannot reproduce dyed cotton perfectly. DMC itself recommends using actual thread samples when color accuracy matters, and third-party databases also warn that monitor settings and digital approximations can change the appearance of a shade. Treat HEX as a planning aid, not the final authority.

DMC Color Substitution Chart & Conversions

A DMC color substitution chart helps when your pattern specifies DMC but your local store has another brand. Common conversion resources compare DMC with Anchor, Madeira, Cosmo, or other embroidery-thread systems. These matches are generally approximations rather than mathematically identical colors.

This matters because thread numbers are brand-specific catalog identifiers. DMC 310 and an equivalent black from another manufacturer do not share a universal numbering system. A conversion chart therefore acts as a lookup between independently developed palettes rather than a formula that transforms one number into another.

The Ultimate DMC Thread Color Card

The DMC thread color card is especially useful because it brings the physical appearance of the thread into the decision. DMC’s official shade-card products are designed to let makers compare actual shades, while online charts are better for rapid searching and lookup.

Think of the digital chart as your search engine and the physical card as your final color check. If you’re making a large sampler, buying expensive fabric, or reproducing a carefully shaded design, spending a moment comparing actual thread can save hours of stitching with the wrong shade.

Interactive Color Chart

An interactive chart makes a large DMC palette manageable by letting you search, filter, sort, and inspect individual colors. Current competitor tools allow searches by number or name and provide family filters such as reds, pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, browns, grays, and whites.

Smart Filtering

Color-family filtering is useful when you already know the visual direction but not the code. Instead of scanning hundreds of entries, you can narrow the palette to blue, green, red, pink, purple, brown, gray, or neutral shades and then compare light-to-dark variations.

Everything About DMC Embroidery Floss

DMC Mouliné Spécial is a six-strand cotton embroidery floss. DMC currently describes it as 100% cotton and says the strands separate easily, allowing stitchers to vary the number of strands for different effects. The product is sold in skeins designed for embroidery and cross-stitch work.

That six-strand construction is why the DMC number matters so much in a pattern legend. A designer may specify both the color code and the number of strands. Changing the number of strands changes coverage and visual weight, while changing the DMC number changes the actual color.

DMC Thread Color Chart PDF Free Download

A DMC color chart PDF is convenient for stitchers who want an offline reference. Current competitor pages provide printable or downloadable charts containing color codes and names, while some let users download the entire palette or selected color families.

Before relying on any downloadable chart, check its scope and date. A PDF may represent an older DMC range, only stranded cotton, or a combination of solid and specialty threads. DMC’s own shade-card documentation is the best reference for determining what its current palette contains.

Navigating the DMC Floss Color Chart

The easiest workflow is simple: start with the pattern’s DMC number, search that number in the chart, confirm the color name, inspect the swatch, and then compare the physical skein if the project is color-sensitive. This approach is much safer than trying to infer a shade from its number.

Color families can then help you build gradients. If your design needs several shades of blue, for example, filter to blues and compare the available light, medium, and dark options. DMC’s official shade card groups colors to help makers select related tones for projects.

Reds & Pinks

Red and pink families contain everything from bright reds and deep garnets to soft shell pinks, dusty roses, salmon, and cranberry shades. When building a gradient, compare actual swatches rather than relying solely on names because words such as “light,” “dark,” and “medium” describe relative shade characteristics.

Oranges & Yellows

Orange and yellow families are useful for flowers, autumn scenes, sunsets, fruit, skin details, and warm highlights. Popular references include 307 Lemon, 444 Dark Lemon, 740 Tangerine, 741 Medium Tangerine, 742 Light Tangerine, 970 Pumpkin, and 973 Bright Canary.

Greens

Green is one of the broadest practical families, covering grass, forest, jade, pistachio, avocado, emerald, moss, and aquamarine-related shades. Rather than selecting by number sequence alone, compare the descriptive family name and physical swatch to preserve consistent shading.

Blues

Blue shades range from baby blue and sky blue through royal, navy, Delft, Wedgwood, turquoise, peacock, and electric blue. Examples include 336 Navy Blue, 797 Royal Blue, 798 Delft Blue, 823 Dark Navy Blue, 995 Very Dark Electric Blue, and 3843 Electric Blue.

Purples

Purple references include violet, lavender, grape, plum, antique violet, blue violet, and cyclamen-related shades. When selecting multiple purple threads, look for gradual changes in saturation and lightness rather than assuming that adjacent DMC codes form a complete gradient.

Browns

Brown families cover cocoa, coffee, mahogany, terra cotta, tan, hazelnut, mocha, golden brown, and rosewood. They are particularly useful for hair, wood, animals, buildings, autumn scenes, and vintage-style designs.

Grays & Blacks

Gray and black references are essential for outlines, lettering, shadows, monochrome projects, and realistic shading. 310 Black is especially recognizable, while gray families provide softer alternatives when a pure black outline would look too harsh.

Skin Tones

Skin-tone palettes require extra care because digital representations can be misleading. Use the chart to identify possible families, then compare real floss under consistent lighting. A physical shade card is preferable when subtle differences will affect the finished portrait or figure.

Using This Colour Chart

Use a DMC color chart with names and numbers by starting from whichever information you already have. If your pattern gives you “310,” search 310. If it gives you “Black,” search Black. If you’re designing from a photograph, first identify a color family and then narrow the palette by lightness and saturation.

For stash organization, record the DMC code on bobbins or storage labels. That way, when a pattern calls for 823 or 3865 months later, you can locate the correct skein without relying on memory or comparing dozens of nearly identical blue or white threads.

Cross-Brand Thread Conversion

Cross-brand conversion is useful when a pattern specifies DMC but your available supplies use Anchor, Madeira, Cosmo, or another thread system. The closest match is not necessarily an exact duplicate because manufacturers use different dyes, fibers, production methods, and color catalogs.

For important projects, treat conversion as a starting point. Compare the proposed substitute against the surrounding stitches and, whenever possible, compare actual thread samples. A visually close replacement can still change the overall contrast of a finished cross-stitch design.

Conclusion

A DMC color chart with names and numbers is one of the most useful references a cross-stitch or embroidery maker can keep nearby. The DMC number is the most reliable identifier, while the color name, family, swatch, HEX value, and physical thread provide additional context.

For everyday projects, a searchable digital chart is fast and convenient. For color-critical work, combine it with a physical DMC color card because screen colors cannot perfectly reproduce dyed cotton. And when substituting another brand, use a conversion chart as a close-match guide rather than assuming two different brands’ numbers or shades are identical.

The simplest workflow is: find the DMC number → confirm the name → inspect the shade → compare the physical floss → stitch with confidence.

FAQ Section

How many DMC colors are there?

DMC currently describes Mouliné Spécial as having about 500 solid colors. Third-party charts may show different totals because their databases can include additional codes, historical shades, or specialty/variegated products.

What is DMC 310?

DMC 310 is Black. It is one of the most recognizable DMC embroidery-floss codes and is widely used for outlines, lettering, borders, and dark details.

What is DMC 666?

DMC 666 is Bright Red. It is a commonly referenced red in DMC color charts and cross-stitch projects.

What is DMC 823?

DMC 823 is Dark Navy Blue. It belongs to the blue family and is useful when a project requires a deep blue rather than pure black.

What is DMC 3865?

DMC 3865 is Winter White. It is a very light neutral shade and can be useful where pure white would create too much contrast.

Are DMC color names official?

DMC’s official numerical list identifies colors by their codes and descriptions. However, third-party charts may use alternate descriptive names or aliases, so the DMC number should be treated as the primary identifier when matching a pattern to floss.

Can I trust HEX colors in a DMC chart?

HEX values are useful for digital planning, but they are approximations of physical thread. Monitor settings, lighting, photography, and the difference between screen color and dyed cotton can affect appearance. DMC recommends actual thread samples for reliable color comparison.

How do I find a DMC color by number?

Enter the DMC number into a searchable chart, such as 310, 823, or 3865. DMC’s own guidance also explains that its color card includes a numerical list for locating specific thread colors.

Can I convert DMC colors to Anchor?

Yes. DMC-to-Anchor conversion charts provide approximate equivalents. However, conversions should be considered closest matches rather than exact replacements, because the brands use different color systems and thread production.

Morgan

Morgan is a horse naming enthusiast and equestrian content writer with a passion for helping horse owners find the perfect names for their equine companions. From classic and elegant names to unique, Western, funny, and breed-specific ideas, Morgan creates well-researched, easy-to-browse name collections designed to inspire every horse lover. The goal is to make choosing the right horse name simple, enjoyable, and memorable.