Anchor Stranded Cotton

160 — Baby Blue

Blues family

Anchor 160 — Baby Blue — has hex #9FC8E2 and RGB 159, 200, 226. This light, vivid blue thread sits alongside its closest DMC, Madeira, and J&P Coates matches below, with 8 similar Anchor shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.

Hex
#9FC8E2
RGB
159, 200, 226
HSL
203°, 54%, 75%
Lab
78.6, -7.5, -17.3
Lightness
75%
Light
Saturation
54%
Rich
Hue
203°
Family
Blues

Brand Equivalents for Anchor 160

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

Anchor 160 Baby Blue

Sullivans

Blue Very Light 45228 89% Good
Baby Blue Light 45337 80% Good
Baby Blue Pale 45439 74% Approx
Antique Blue Very Light 45376 73% Approx
Delft Blue Pale 45210 72% Approx

Crescent Colours

Really Teally 104 58% Fair
Snips and Snails 087 56% Fair
Baby Blanket 093 54% Fair
Petite Maison 127 26% Fair
Cloud 010 25% Fair

Similar Anchor Colors to 160

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

Working with Anchor 160

On white fabric
1.8:1
On dark fabric
11.8:1
Temperature
cool
Closest to
sky blue

It reads best on black or dark fabric and can wash out on white, so reach for a dark or mid-tone ground.

Color Harmonies for Anchor 160

Anchor threads that pair well with 160, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading

Blues Family

Anchor 160 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.

About Anchor 160

Meet Anchor 160, Baby Blue — a vivid, light thread in the blues family with sky blue tones. Its tone is gentle and clear, making it a popular choice for skies and water. It pairs nicely in designs that call for denim textures or cool-toned backgrounds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Anchor 160 — what color is it?

The color of Anchor 160 is Baby Blue — a light blue thread (hex #9FC8E2, RGB 159, 200, 226). It shows up most in bluebird motifs and whale designs.

What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 160?

The closest DMC match for Anchor 160 (Baby Blue) is DMC 162 (Blue ultra very light) with a 79% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 3841 (Baby Blue pale, 79%) and DMC 3325 (Baby Blue light, 77%).

Which Anchor threads are close to 160?

The closest Anchor threads to 160 are 159 Baby Blue Light (ΔE 3.52), 144 Navy Blue Ultra Very Light (ΔE 6.1), and 1038 Baby Blue Medium (ΔE 6.44). These are useful substitutes when 160 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What is Anchor 160 good for?

Anchor 160 (Baby Blue) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring bluebird motifs, whale designs, sapphire accents, porcelain patterns. 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 160.

What fabric color works best with Anchor 160 (Baby Blue)?

It reads best on black or dark fabric and can wash out on white, so reach for a dark or mid-tone ground. For reference, 160 has a contrast ratio of about 1.8:1 on white fabric and 11.8:1 on black. As a cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.