161 — Baby Blue Dark
Blues family
Need details on Anchor 161? This medium, muted blue shade (Baby Blue Dark) is hex #57819C, RGB 87, 129, 156. Cross-brand equivalents in Madeira, J&P Coates, and Sullivans are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby Anchor shades and color-theory harmony pairings.
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 161
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 161
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 161
It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground.
Color Harmonies for Anchor 161
Anchor threads that pair well with 161, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blues Family
Anchor 161 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.
About Anchor 161
Baby Blue Dark (catalog code Anchor 161) is a medium, muted shade from the blues family with sky blue tones. With a steady and quiet quality, this thread works beautifully in water and denim textures. You will find this color at home in patterns featuring cool-toned backgrounds and nautical themes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is Anchor 161?
Anchor 161 is called Baby Blue Dark. It's a medium blue shade (hex #57819C, RGB 87, 129, 156) in the blues family, commonly used for whale designs, sapphire accents, and similar motifs.
What's the closest DMC match for Anchor 161?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 161 (Baby Blue Dark) is DMC 518 (Wedgewood light) with a 79% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 932 (Antique Blue light, 65%) and DMC 809 (Delft Blue, 65%).
What's a good substitute for Anchor 161?
The closest Anchor threads to 161 are 1039 Baby Blue Medium Dark (ΔE 6.41), 168 Blue Green Medium (ΔE 7.17), and 920 Antique Blue Medium Light (ΔE 9.97). These are useful substitutes when 161 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use Anchor 161?
Cross-stitchers pull Anchor 161 (Baby Blue Dark) for charts featuring whale designs, sapphire accents, porcelain patterns, hydrangea blooms. The medium tone reads cleanly on its own and slots into multi-color palettes — see the color harmonies below for pairing ideas.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 161 (Baby Blue Dark)?
It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground. For reference, 161 has a contrast ratio of about 4.2:1 on white fabric and 5:1 on black. As a soft cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.