281 — Yellow Green Dark
Yellows family
Need details on Anchor 281? This dark, vivid yellow shade (Yellow Green Dark) is hex #4C4416, RGB 76, 68, 22. Cross-brand equivalents in Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art Sampler, and Valdani are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby Anchor shades and color-theory harmony pairings.
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 281
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 281
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 281
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Because it is so deep, Anchor 281 (Yellow Green Dark) holds its own as an outlining and lettering color where lighter threads would get lost against the fill.
Its nearest neighbor, Anchor 924 (Yellow Green Very Dark), is barely a step away (ΔE 2). Tweed the two together for subtle shading, or substitute freely when one is out of stock.
Color Harmonies for Anchor 281
Anchor threads that pair well with 281, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Yellows Family
Anchor 281 in context with nearby shades from the yellows color family.
About Anchor 281
A dark, vivid entry in the yellows family, Anchor 281 carries the name Yellow Green Dark with warm gold tones. Stitchers describe its character as striking and rich, perfect for stars and honey themes. It blends comfortably into projects centered on wheat fields and daffodils.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is Anchor 281?
Anchor 281 is called Yellow Green Dark. It's a dark yellow shade (hex #4C4416, RGB 76, 68, 22) in the yellows family, commonly used for canary themes, sunflowers, and similar motifs.
What's the closest DMC match for Anchor 281?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 281 (Yellow Green Dark) is DMC 730 (Olive Green very dark) with a 84% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 936 (Avocado Green very dark, 70%) and DMC 3011 (Khaki Green dark, 64%).
What's a good substitute for Anchor 281?
The closest Anchor threads to 281 are 924 Yellow Green Very Dark (ΔE 2), 856 Yellow Green Medium (ΔE 3.87), and 845 Khaki Green Medium Dark (ΔE 5.94). These are useful substitutes when 281 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use Anchor 281?
Cross-stitchers pull Anchor 281 (Yellow Green Dark) for charts featuring canary themes, sunflowers, highlights, warm backgrounds. The dark tone reads cleanly on its own and slots into multi-color palettes — see the color harmonies below for pairing ideas.
Is Anchor 281 (Yellow Green Dark) good for backstitching and outlines?
It's an excellent outline color. The depth of 281 defines edges and text cleanly where lighter threads would disappear into the fill; one strand is usually enough for backstitch.