Anchor Stranded Cotton

23 — Baby Pink Very Light

Reds family

Below: Anchor 23 (Baby Pink Very Light), a very light, highly saturated red shade with hex #FDC8C9 and RGB 253, 200, 201. Find its closest J&P Coates, Sullivans, and Cosmo matches ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 similar Anchor shades and a full set of color harmony picks.

Hex
#FDC8C9
RGB
253, 200, 201
HSL
359°, 93%, 89%
Lab
85.2, 18.9, 6.7
Lightness
89%
Very light
Saturation
93%
Vivid
Hue
359°
Family
Reds

Brand Equivalents for Anchor 23

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

Anchor 23 Baby Pink Very Light

Sullivans

Apricot Very Light 45495 93% Good
Salmon Very Light 45363 84% Good
Shell Pink Ultra Very Light 45047 82% Good
Baby Pink 45220 72% Approx
Dusty Rose Ultra Very Light 45297 66% Approx

Crescent Colours

Rosy Glow 140 65% Approx
Bambino 076 60% Fair
Spun Sugar 030 57% Fair
Little Pink Peony 121 49% Fair
Fleur de Lilac 123 39% Fair

Similar Anchor Colors to 23

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

Working with Anchor 23

On white fabric
1.5:1
On dark fabric
14.3:1
Temperature
warm
Closest to
beige

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

Highlights & negative space

Reach for Anchor 23 (Baby Pink Very Light) where a design needs lift — highlights, whites-on-white detail, and airy backgrounds that keep a busy palette from feeling heavy.

Blending & gradients

Anchor 23 (Baby Pink Very Light) sits a hair from Anchor 968 (Dusty Violet Light) (ΔE 1.96) — 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 23

Anchor threads that pair well with 23, 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

Reds Family

Anchor 23 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.

About Anchor 23

Meet Anchor 23, Baby Pink Very Light — a highly saturated, very light thread in the reds family with warm crimson tones. The crisp and delicate character of this shade lends itself well to poppies and cardinal birds. Stitchers frequently choose it for apple motifs and ladybug designs in their projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Anchor 23 — what color is it?

The color of Anchor 23 is Baby Pink Very Light — a very light red thread (hex #FDC8C9, RGB 253, 200, 201). It shows up most in hearts and holiday designs.

What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 23?

The closest DMC match for Anchor 23 (Baby Pink Very Light) is DMC 3713 (Salmon very light) with a 96% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 818 (Baby Pink, 89%) and DMC 225 (Shell Pink ultra very light, 82%).

Which Anchor threads are close to 23?

The closest Anchor threads to 23 are 968 Dusty Violet Light (ΔE 1.96), 1020 Dusty Rose Ultra Very Light (ΔE 4.17), and 271 Baby Pink Ultra Very L (ΔE 5.35). These are useful substitutes when 23 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What is Anchor 23 good for?

Anchor 23 (Baby Pink Very Light) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring hearts, holiday designs, bold accents, berries. Its very light tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 23.

Can Anchor 23 (Baby Pink Very Light) be used for highlights?

23 is light enough to read as a highlight and near-white filler. Use it for snow, porcelain, lacework, and the small glints that give a piece dimension.