1040 — Beaver Grey Dark
Blacks family
Need details on Anchor 1040? This medium-dark, subdued black shade (Beaver Grey Dark) is hex #45423F, RGB 69, 66, 63. Cross-brand equivalents in Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art Sampler, and Valdani are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby Anchor shades and color-theory harmony pairings.
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 1040
Top 5 closest matches in each brand, ranked by visual color similarity. How matching works
DMC
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Valdani
Crescent Colours
Similar Anchor Colors to 1040
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 1040
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Because Anchor 8581 (Beaver Grey Medium) is so near (ΔE 1.76), the pair makes a natural two-step gradient — handy for shading skin, petals, or skies without a hard seam.
Color Harmonies for Anchor 1040
Anchor threads that pair well with 1040, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blacks Family
Anchor 1040 in context with nearby shades from the blacks color family.
About Anchor 1040
Anchor 1040 is the floss known as Beaver Grey Dark: a subdued, medium-dark member of the blacks family. Stitchers describe its character as deep and grounded, perfect for bold contrast and dramatic backgrounds. It blends comfortably into projects centered on wrought iron and night skies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Anchor 1040 look like?
Anchor 1040 (Beaver Grey Dark) is a medium-dark shade in the blacks family with hex #45423F and RGB 69, 66, 63. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring crow motifs and gothic accents.
Which DMC thread matches Anchor 1040?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 1040 (Beaver Grey Dark) is DMC 535 (Ash Grey very light) with a 81% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 844 (Beaver Grey ultra dark, 80%) and DMC 3787 (Brown Grey dark, 76%).
What Anchor colors are similar to 1040?
The closest Anchor threads to 1040 are 8581 Beaver Grey Medium (ΔE 1.76), 235 Pewter Grey (ΔE 2.99), and 400 Pewter Grey Dark (ΔE 3.63). These are useful substitutes when 1040 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use Anchor 1040?
Reach for Anchor 1040 (Beaver Grey Dark) when your project calls for crow motifs, gothic accents, shadow textures, outlines. Its medium-dark character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 1040.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 1040 (Beaver Grey Dark)?
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first. For reference, 1040 has a contrast ratio of about 10:1 on white fabric and 2.1:1 on black. As a neutral shade, as a near-neutral, it plays quietly with almost any palette and works well as a background or shading tone.