Anchor Stranded Cotton

176 — Cornflower Blue Medium

Blues family

Looking up Anchor 176? It's Cornflower Blue Medium, a medium blue shade (#635F95 / RGB 99, 95, 149). Scroll down for Crescent Colours, DMC, and Madeira equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close Anchor alternatives and curated color harmonies.

Hex
#635F95
RGB
99, 95, 149
HSL
244°, 22%, 48%
Lab
42.8, 14.8, -29.1
Lightness
48%
Medium
Saturation
22%
Neutral
Hue
244°
Family
Blues

Brand Equivalents for Anchor 176

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

Anchor 176 Cornflower Blue Medium

Sullivans

Cornflower Blue Medium 45204 65% Approx
Grey Blue 45476 63% Fair
Blue Violet Medium Dark 45470 62% Fair
Lavender Dark 45041 61% Fair
Lavender Blue Dark 45436 57% Fair

Crescent Colours

Vintage Violet 045 80% Good
Blue Beatrice 132 76% Approx
Argyle Socks 092 58% Fair
Pansy Purple 102 57% Fair
Blooming Crocus 032 57% Fair

Similar Anchor Colors to 176

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

Working with Anchor 176

On white fabric
5.8:1
On dark fabric
3.6:1
Temperature
soft cool
Closest to
indigo

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.

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 176 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.

About Anchor 176

Known as Cornflower Blue Medium, Anchor 176 is a medium, muted shade sitting in the blues family with deep blue tones. Expect a restrained and earthy 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 blue thread (hex #635F95, RGB 99, 95, 149). 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 31 (Blueberry) with a 91% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 32 (Dark Blueberry, 77%) and DMC 793 (Cornflower Blue medium, 73%).

Which Anchor threads are close to 176?

The closest Anchor threads to 176 are 1030 Blue Violet Medium (ΔE 4.79), 131 Sky Blue Medium (ΔE 4.94), and 137 Delft Medium Dark (ΔE 7.37). 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 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 5.8:1 on white fabric and 3.6:1 on black. As a soft cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.