176 — Cornflower Blue Medium
Blues family#7484B3
Looking up Anchor 176? It's Cornflower Blue Medium, a medium-light blue shade (#7484B3 / RGB 116, 132, 179). Scroll down for Crescent Colors, DMC, and Madeira equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close Anchor alternatives and curated color harmonies.
About Anchor 176
Anchor Stranded Cotton Mouliné
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Sold as
- 8 m
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 176
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 176
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 176
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 176
Anchor threads that pair well with 176, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blues Family
Anchor176 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.
About Anchor 176
Known as Cornflower Blue Medium, Anchor 176 is a medium-light, muted shade sitting in the blues family with true blue tones. Expect a restrained and versatile look that suits cool-toned backgrounds, nautical themes, and similar motifs. Cross stitch enthusiasts often reach for this thread when stitching winter scenes or forget-me-nots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchor 176 — what color is it?
The color of Anchor 176 is Cornflower Blue Medium — a medium-light blue thread (hex #7484B3, RGB 116, 132, 179). It shows up most in porcelain patterns and hydrangea blooms.
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 176?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 176 (Cornflower Blue Medium) is DMC 156 (Blue Violet medium light) with a 86% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 794 (Cornflower Blue light, 83%) and DMC 160 (Grey Blue medium, 69%).
Which Anchor threads are close to 176?
The closest Anchor threads to 176 are 136 Delft Medium (ΔE 4.09), 131 Sky Blue Medium (ΔE 4.17), and 146 Navy Blue Light (ΔE 4.82). These are useful substitutes when 176 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Anchor 176 good for?
Anchor 176 (Cornflower Blue Medium) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring porcelain patterns, hydrangea blooms, skies, water. Its medium-light tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 176.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 176 (Cornflower Blue Medium)?
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, 176 has a contrast ratio of about 3.7:1 on white fabric and 5.7:1 on black. As a soft cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.