Anchor Stranded Cotton

1086 — Taupe Medium Dark

Browns family

Looking up Anchor 1086? It's Taupe Medium Dark, a medium-dark brown shade (#553D34 / RGB 85, 61, 52). Scroll down for Cosmo, Classic Colorworks, and Weeks Dye Works equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close Anchor alternatives and curated color harmonies.

Hex
#553D34
RGB
85, 61, 52
HSL
16°, 24%, 27%
Lab
28.2, 9.1, 9.7
Lightness
27%
Dark
Saturation
24%
Neutral
Hue
16°
Family
Browns

Brand Equivalents for Anchor 1086

Top 5 closest matches in each brand, ranked by visual color similarity. How matching works

Anchor 1086 Taupe Medium Dark

Sullivans

Mocha Brown Dark 45393 68% Approx
Beige Brown Dark 45237 68% Approx
Cocoa 45458 68% Approx
Cocoa Dark 45493 68% Approx
Drab Brown 45144 59% Fair

Crescent Colours

Wisconsin Woods 114 80% Good
Cappuccino 007 71% Approx
Rod and Reel 116 60% Fair
Chocolate Cream Pie 009 58% Fair
Brown Sugar 178 49% Fair

Similar Anchor Colors to 1086

Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.

Anchor 1086 Taupe Medium Dark
Dusty Flesh Very Dark Anchor 936 Very close ΔE 3.62 Drab Brown Dark Anchor 898 Noticeable ΔE 5.67 Brown Grey Medium Anchor 904 Noticeable ΔE 5.86 Brown Grey Medium Anchor 903 Noticeable ΔE 7.49 Beige Grey Ultra Very Dark Anchor 393 Noticeable ΔE 7.58 Coffee Very Dark Anchor 359 Noticeable ΔE 9.15 Coffee Dark Anchor 358 Noticeable ΔE 9.31 Flesh Very Dark Anchor 1007 Noticeable ΔE 9.36

Working with Anchor 1086

On white fabric
10:1
On dark fabric
2.1:1
Temperature
soft warm
Closest to
charcoal

It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.

Color Harmonies for Anchor 1086

Anchor threads that pair well with 1086, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
1086
169 Blue Green Dark
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
1086
393 Beige Grey Ultra Very Dark 936 Dusty Flesh Very Dark
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
1086
189 Turquoise Very Dark 1035 Antique Blue Very Dark
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading
1086
379 Dusty Flesh Dark 231 Shell Grey Light 892 Shell Pink Very Light

Browns Family

Anchor 1086 in context with nearby shades from the browns color family.

1086 Taupe Medium Dark 1086 898 Drab Brown Dark 898 1014 Mahogany Very Dark 1014 1046 Golden Brown Medium Dark 1046 365 Golden Brown Medium 365 1088 Taupe Very Dark 1088 944 Tan Very Dark 944 374 Tan Dark 374 371 Coffee Medium Dark 371 358 Coffee Dark 358 310 Topaz Very Dark 310

About Anchor 1086

Anchor 1086 is the floss known as Taupe Medium Dark: a muted, medium-dark member of the browns family with warm chocolate tones. The shade reads as deep and grounded — a go-to choice for horse designs and cinnamon motifs. It also turns up in patterns built around bark patterns and gingerbread themes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Anchor 1086 look like?

Anchor 1086 (Taupe Medium Dark) is a medium-dark shade in the browns family with hex #553D34 and RGB 85, 61, 52. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring warm outlines and wooden textures.

Which DMC thread matches Anchor 1086?

The closest DMC match for Anchor 1086 (Taupe Medium Dark) is DMC 839 (Beige Brown dark) with a 100% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 779 (Cocoa dark, 78%) and DMC 838 (Beige Brown very dark, 77%).

What Anchor colors are similar to 1086?

The closest Anchor threads to 1086 are 936 Dusty Flesh Very Dark (ΔE 3.62), 898 Drab Brown Dark (ΔE 5.67), and 904 Brown Grey Medium (ΔE 5.86). These are useful substitutes when 1086 is unavailable or for building gradients.

When should I use Anchor 1086?

Reach for Anchor 1086 (Taupe Medium Dark) when your project calls for warm outlines, wooden textures, coffee themes, rustic designs. Its medium-dark character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 1086.

What fabric color works best with Anchor 1086 (Taupe Medium 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, 1086 has a contrast ratio of about 10:1 on white fabric and 2.1:1 on black. As a soft warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.

Anchor Color Chart DMC ↔ Anchor Conversion