140 — Royal Blue Light
Blues family
Looking up Anchor 140? It's Royal Blue Light, a light blue shade (#99B4D7 / RGB 153, 180, 215). Scroll down for Cosmo, Classic Colorworks, and Weeks Dye Works equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close Anchor alternatives and curated color harmonies.
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 140
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 140
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 140
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Anchor 140 (Royal Blue Light) sits a hair from Anchor 129 (Sky Blue Light) (ΔE 2.15) — close enough to blend a strand of each for a smooth gradient or to swap one for the other in a pinch.
Color Harmonies for Anchor 140
Anchor threads that pair well with 140, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blues Family
Anchor 140 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.
About Anchor 140
Meet Anchor 140, Royal Blue Light — a moderately saturated, light thread in the blues family with sky blue tones. The shade reads as gentle and approachable — a go-to choice for forget-me-nots and bluebird motifs. It also turns up in patterns built around whale designs and sapphire accents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchor 140 — what color is it?
The color of Anchor 140 is Royal Blue Light — a light blue thread (hex #99B4D7, RGB 153, 180, 215). It shows up most in water and denim textures.
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 140?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 140 (Royal Blue Light) is DMC 157 (Cornflower Blue very light) with a 86% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 800 (Delft Blue pale, 85%) and DMC 813 (Blue light, 76%).
Which Anchor threads are close to 140?
The closest Anchor threads to 140 are 129 Sky Blue Light (ΔE 2.15), 144 Navy Blue Ultra Very Light (ΔE 3.22), and 1038 Baby Blue Medium (ΔE 6.67). These are useful substitutes when 140 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Anchor 140 good for?
Anchor 140 (Royal Blue Light) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring water, denim textures, cool-toned backgrounds, nautical themes. Its light tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 140.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 140 (Royal Blue Light)?
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, 140 has a contrast ratio of about 2.1:1 on white fabric and 9.9:1 on black. As a cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.