Embroidery Floss & Iron-Bead Color Number Conversion Chart

Why Floss Color Numbers Don't Match Across Brands

A floss color number is just a catalog code for one specific dyed thread in one brand's range. Because each manufacturer dyes its own threads and built its catalog independently, the numbers are unrelated between brands. There is no formula that turns a DMC number into an Anchor number; the only way across is a lookup table that someone built by physically comparing skeins.

That also means a "conversion" is a nearest-match, not an equals sign. Two brands may have no thread that is exactly the same shade, so the chart points you at the closest one. For a single accent that is fine; for a large area where a slight shift would show, you should check the real thread against a shade card before committing to a whole project.

The Major Brands at a Glance

DMC is the de-facto global standard: most published patterns list DMC numbers, and other brands publish their own DMC cross-references rather than the reverse. Here is how the systems most crafters meet compare.

DMC ↔ Anchor Approximate Conversion Table

Below are common colors with their DMC and Anchor numbers and an approximate on-screen color. DMC↔Anchor is the most thoroughly cross-referenced pair, which is why it is the practical bridge between most patterns and most shops. Treat the swatch as a guide only — a backlit screen never matches dyed cotton exactly.

For COSMO, Olympus and other ranges, look up the maker's own DMC equivalence list rather than trusting a third-party number — those brands publish their conversions against DMC, and going through DMC as the common reference gives the most reliable match.

Dye Lots: The Detail Conversions Can't Capture

Even within a single brand and number, color is not perfectly constant. Floss is dyed in batches called dye lots, and two lots of the same number can differ slightly. On a small motif you will never notice, but across a large filled background the seam between two lots can be visible. The safe habit is to buy enough of one lot to finish the piece, and to record the lot number in case you run short.

This is the real reason every conversion chart carries a disclaimer. A cross-reference picks the closest number in another brand, but you are still stacking brand difference on top of dye-lot variation. For anything bigger than an accent, treat the table as a shopping shortlist and make the final call with the actual skeins side by side under daylight.

From a Photo to a Color List

If you are designing your own pattern rather than following a kit, the question flips: you have a photo and need a small set of thread colors. The reliable method is to reduce the image to a fixed number of solid colors, lay a numbered grid over it, and then match each block's color to a shade card. That turns an unlimited photo into a buyable shortlist of perhaps a dozen colors — the same logic a printed chart uses, just built from your own image.

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