143 — Royal Blue Dark
Blues family#304C8B
Below: Anchor 143 (Royal Blue Dark), a medium-dark, moderately saturated blue shade with hex #304C8B and RGB 48, 76, 139. Find its closest Gentle Art Sampler, Valdani, and Crescent Colors matches ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 similar Anchor shades and a full set of color harmony picks.
About Anchor 143
Anchor Stranded Cotton Mouliné
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Sold as
- 8 m
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 143
The five closest matches in each brand, ranked by CIEDE2000 perceptual color difference.
DMC
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Valdani
Crescent Colors
Similar Anchor Colors to 143
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 143
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Anchor 143 (Royal Blue Dark) sits a hair from Anchor 147 (Navy Blue Medium Light) (ΔE 1.05) — 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 143
Anchor threads that pair well with 143, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blues Family
Anchor143 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.
About Anchor 143
Known as Royal Blue Dark, Anchor 143 is a medium-dark, moderately saturated shade sitting in the blues family with true blue tones. The rich and grounded mood of this color makes it a natural fit for sapphire accents and porcelain patterns. Expect to see it used in hydrangea blooms and skies across many cross-stitch charts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchor 143 — what color is it?
The color of Anchor 143 is Royal Blue Dark — a medium-dark blue thread (hex #304C8B, RGB 48, 76, 139). It shows up most in nautical themes and winter scenes.
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 143?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 143 (Royal Blue Dark) is DMC 825 (Blue dark) with a 79% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 3807 (Cornflower Blue, 78%) and DMC 312 (Navy Blue light, 75%).
Which Anchor threads are close to 143?
The closest Anchor threads to 143 are 147 Navy Blue Medium Light (ΔE 1.05), 132 Sky Blue Dark (ΔE 1.51), and 940 Delft Dark (ΔE 3.42). These are useful substitutes when 143 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Anchor 143 good for?
Anchor 143 (Royal Blue Dark) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring nautical themes, winter scenes, forget-me-nots, bluebird motifs. Its medium-dark tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 143.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 143 (Royal Blue 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, 143 has a contrast ratio of about 8.3:1 on white fabric and 2.5:1 on black. As a cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.