47 — Christmas Red
Reds family
Below: Anchor 47 (Christmas Red), a medium-dark, highly saturated red shade with hex #A51C00 and RGB 165, 28, 0. 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 47
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 47
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 47
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Anchor 47 (Christmas Red) is vivid enough to carry a focal point; use it sparingly for accents so it stays the star rather than competing across the whole piece.
Color Harmonies for Anchor 47
Anchor threads that pair well with 47, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Reds Family
Anchor 47 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.
About Anchor 47
A medium-dark, highly saturated entry in the reds family, Anchor 47 carries the name Christmas Red with red-orange tones. The strong and rich character of this shade lends itself well to berries and valentines. Stitchers frequently choose it for poppies and cardinal birds in their projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is Anchor 47?
Anchor 47 is called Christmas Red. It's a medium-dark red shade (hex #A51C00, RGB 165, 28, 0) in the reds family, commonly used for tomato patterns, roses, and similar motifs.
What's the closest DMC match for Anchor 47?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 47 (Christmas Red) is DMC 920 (Copper medium) with a 70% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 817 (Coral Red very dark, 65%) and DMC 919 (Red Copper, 64%).
What's a good substitute for Anchor 47?
The closest Anchor threads to 47 are 13 Coral Dark (ΔE 3.25), 1014 Mahogany Very Dark (ΔE 4.03), and 1006 Dusty Rose Very Dark (ΔE 4.48). These are useful substitutes when 47 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use Anchor 47?
Cross-stitchers pull Anchor 47 (Christmas Red) for charts featuring tomato patterns, roses, hearts, holiday designs. The medium-dark tone reads cleanly on its own and slots into multi-color palettes — see the color harmonies below for pairing ideas.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 47 (Christmas Red)?
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, 47 has a contrast ratio of about 7.6:1 on white fabric and 2.8:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.