343 — Antique Blue Light
Blues family#A4B3BF
Anchor 343 — Antique Blue Light — has hex #A4B3BF and RGB 164, 179, 191. This medium-light, muted blue thread sits alongside its closest Classic Colorworks, Weeks Dye Works, and Gentle Art Sampler matches below, with 8 similar Anchor shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.
About Anchor 343
Anchor Stranded Cotton Mouliné
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Sold as
- 8 m
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 343
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 343
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 343
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Anchor 343 (Antique Blue Light) sits a hair from Anchor 976 (Blue Light) (ΔE 2.52) — 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 343
Anchor threads that pair well with 343, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blues Family
Anchor343 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.
About Anchor 343
Known as Antique Blue Light, Anchor 343 is a medium-light, muted shade sitting in the blues family with sky blue tones. It has a restrained and versatile feel that suits cool-toned backgrounds and nautical themes particularly well. Designers often pair this shade with winter scenes or forget-me-nots for balanced palettes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anchor 343 — what color is it?
The color of Anchor 343 is Antique Blue Light — a medium-light blue thread (hex #A4B3BF, RGB 164, 179, 191). It shows up most in porcelain patterns and hydrangea blooms.
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 343?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 343 (Antique Blue Light) is DMC 3752 (Antique Blue very light) with a 90% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 168 (Pewter very light, 80%) and DMC 3841 (Baby Blue pale, 77%).
Which Anchor threads are close to 343?
The closest Anchor threads to 343 are 976 Blue Light (ΔE 2.52), 1033 Antique Blue (ΔE 3.65), and 849 Grey Blue Medium (ΔE 5.32). These are useful substitutes when 343 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Anchor 343 good for?
Anchor 343 (Antique Blue Light) 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 343.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 343 (Antique Blue Light)?
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, 343 has a contrast ratio of about 2.1:1 on white fabric and 9.8:1 on black. As a soft cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.