256 — Forest Green Medium
Yellows family
Below: Anchor 256 (Forest Green Medium), a dark, highly saturated yellow shade with hex #637201 and RGB 99, 114, 1. 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.
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 256
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 256
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 256
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
With its high saturation, Anchor 256 (Forest Green Medium) draws the eye — a natural pick for focal motifs, small pops of color, and details you want to read first.
Color Harmonies for Anchor 256
Anchor threads that pair well with 256, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Yellows Family
Anchor 256 in context with nearby shades from the yellows color family.
About Anchor 256
Meet Anchor 256, Forest Green Medium — a highly saturated, dark thread in the yellows family with lemon-toned tones. The dramatic and vivid character of this shade lends itself well to wheat fields and daffodils. Stitchers frequently choose it for lemon motifs and rubber duck designs in their projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchor 256 — what color is it?
The color of Anchor 256 is Forest Green Medium — a dark yellow thread (hex #637201, RGB 99, 114, 1). It shows up most in highlights and warm backgrounds.
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 256?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 256 (Forest Green Medium) is DMC 470 (Avocado Green light) with a 74% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 581 (Moss Green, 69%) and DMC 580 (Moss Green dark, 58%).
Which Anchor threads are close to 256?
The closest Anchor threads to 256 are 257 Forest Green Dark (ΔE 5.44), 266 Avocado Green Light (ΔE 7.19), and 255 Forest Green Light (ΔE 7.33). These are useful substitutes when 256 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Anchor 256 good for?
Anchor 256 (Forest Green Medium) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring highlights, warm backgrounds, golden accents, stars. Its dark tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 256.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 256 (Forest Green 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, 256 has a contrast ratio of about 5.3:1 on white fabric and 3.9:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.