DMC floss colour chart

All 489 DMC stranded cotton colours with their numbers and names. Search, filter by colour family or sort by shade, then open any colour for its closest Anchor and bead matches, similar shades and the patterns that use it.

  • 489 colours
  • 13 colour families
  • 77% have a very close or close Anchor match
  • 203 used in our free patterns

Free printable

The whole chart on paper, or a checklist for your stash

Shade finder Find the DMC thread closest to any colour

Pick a colour or paste a hex value to see the eight nearest DMC colours.

489 of 489 colours

DMC colour families

Every family from lightest to darkest. Select a family to show only those colours in the chart.

Most-used DMC colours in our patterns

The 16 DMC colours that appear in the most free patterns on CraftPatterns, a good starting stash.

How close are the Anchor equivalents?

179very close
198close
89approximate
23no good match

Of the 489 DMC colours, 179 have an Anchor equivalent that is very close (ΔE 3 or less) and 198 more a close one (up to 6). 89 are approximate and 23 have no good match, so check those by eye. For a full side-by-side list, see DMC to Anchor and Anchor to DMC.

Using this chart

Type a number (310, B5200, ECRU), a name (“salmon”) or a hex value into the search box, or press a family button to see all the greens or all the pinks at once. Sorting by light to dark or colour order lines up shades that sit far apart in the number sequence, which is the quickest way to plan a gradient or find a shading partner.

Open any colour for everything we know about it: hex, RGB and CIELAB values, the closest Anchor, Perler and Hama colours with a match rating, the next lighter and darker shade in its family, which Anchor numbers convert to it, contrast for lettering and outlines, and free patterns that use it. Each colour has its own link, so you can share or bookmark a shade.

Every match is computed with CIEDE2000, the colour-difference formula that tracks how people actually perceive colour, from our documented RGB values (how colour matching works). A badge tells you how close each alternative is: very close (ΔE ≤ 3, hard to tell apart in normal light), close (≤ 6, fine for most projects), approximate (≤ 10, check against the other colours you are using) or no good match.

Screens show colours differently, so treat swatches as a guide rather than a dye-lot match. Before buying for a whole project, hold real skeins together in daylight, especially for skin tones and subtle gradients.

Frequently asked questions

How many DMC colours are there?

This chart lists all 489 solid DMC six-strand cotton colours: the long-standing range, including BLANC, ECRU and B5200, plus the 35 shades numbered 01 to 35 that DMC released together in late 2017. Variegated and special-effect threads such as Color Variations, Light Effects and Satin are separate ranges and are not included.

Is there a printable DMC colour chart?

Yes. Use Printable chart above for a free PDF of every colour, grouped by family with numbers and names, or Stash checklist for a list in number order with tick boxes and space to note how many skeins you have. Both print on US Letter or A4.

Why are DMC numbers not in colour order?

DMC numbers are catalogue numbers that grew as colours were added, so neighbouring numbers can be very different colours and one colour family is spread across the range. Sort the chart by light to dark or colour order to see shades side by side.

How do I find the DMC number for a colour I have?

Use the shade finder: pick a colour or paste a hex value and it lists the eight nearest DMC colours with how close each one is. Open any of them to compare.

What is the difference between BLANC and B5200?

B5200 (Snow White) is a brighter, bluish white; BLANC is a warmer standard white. On white fabric B5200 reads as the whitest highlight.

Can I trust the Anchor equivalents?

For colours marked very close or close, yes for most projects. For approximate matches, compare the threads side by side before committing; charts from different sources often disagree on these.

Can I keep track of the DMC colours I own?

Yes. Open a colour and choose I own this, or add many at once in Colours I own. Owned colours are marked on the chart, you can filter to show only them, and the pattern makers can use only the colours you have. Your list stays in this browser.

Why does a swatch look different from my thread?

Monitors, phone screens and printers all render colour differently, and thread has sheen that a flat swatch cannot show. Use swatches to narrow down, then check physical thread.

How do I open the details for one DMC colour?

Select any swatch. A panel opens with the colour's values, closest matches, neighbouring shades, contrast and patterns, and the address bar changes to a link for that colour (for example /colors/dmc/#b5200) that you can bookmark or share.

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