161 — Grey Blue
Blues family#4F5C85
Need details on DMC 161? This medium, muted blue shade (Grey Blue) is hex #4F5C85, RGB 79, 92, 133. Cross-brand equivalents in Madeira, J&P Coates, and Sullivans are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby DMC shades and color-theory harmony pairings.
About DMC 161
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Blue Ash
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 161
The five closest matches in each brand, ranked by CIEDE2000 perceptual color difference.
Anchor
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Valdani
Crescent Colors
Closest match to DMC 161 in 67 more brands
The single nearest shade in every other palette we hold, from needlepoint silks and wools to fuse beads and yarn. Match quality is perceptual color distance: 93% and up is hard to tell apart, under 75% is a visible shift.
More stranded cotton
Hand-dyed & overdyed
Silk
Wool for needlepoint
Metallic, rayon & specialty
Other threads & beads
Fuse beads
Yarn for crochet & knitting
Need the runners-up, or a whole pattern converted? The thread conversion chart ranks every alternative for DMC 161 (Grey Blue) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 161
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 161
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 161 in other DMC lines
DMC reuses base numbers across its specialty lines, so the same shade can exist as a satin, a metallic, or a sparkle floss under a prefixed code. Here is where Grey Blue turns up.
DMC 161 is a Mouliné Spécial-only number: there is no Satin, Light Effects, or Étoile version of this shade. For a sheen or sparkle in the same tone, blend one strand of the nearest metallic with two strands of DMC 161.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D161, Diamond Drills USA DMC161. A kit legend or drill bag marked 161 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 161
DMC threads that pair well with 161, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blues Family
DMC161 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.
About DMC 161
Grey Blue (catalog code DMC 161) is a medium, muted shade from the blues family with true blue tones. With a steady and quiet quality, this thread works beautifully in water and denim textures. You will find this color at home in patterns featuring cool-toned backgrounds and nautical themes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is DMC 161?
DMC 161 is called Grey Blue. It's a medium blue shade (hex #4F5C85, RGB 79, 92, 133) in the blues family, commonly used for whale designs, sapphire accents, and similar motifs.
What's the closest Anchor match for DMC 161?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 161 (Grey Blue) is Anchor 122 (Blue Purple Medium) with a 83% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 979 (Blue Very Dark, 78%) and Anchor 940 (Delft Dark, 77%).
What's a good substitute for DMC 161?
The closest DMC threads to 161 are 793 Cornflower Blue medium (ΔE 3.86), 3807 Cornflower Blue (ΔE 4.13), and 32 Dark Blueberry (ΔE 5.22). These are useful substitutes when 161 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use DMC 161?
Cross-stitchers pull DMC 161 (Grey Blue) for charts featuring whale designs, sapphire accents, porcelain patterns, hydrangea blooms. The medium 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 DMC 161 (Grey Blue)?
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, 161 has a contrast ratio of about 6.6:1 on white fabric and 3.2:1 on black. As a soft cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.
Is there a metallic or satin version of DMC 161?
No. DMC 161 (Grey Blue) exists only as Mouliné Spécial six-strand cotton — there is no Satin, Light Effects, or Étoile code for it. For a matching shine, blend one strand of the nearest Light Effects color with two strands of the cotton.
What is the diamond painting drill code for DMC 161?
Diamond Dotz D161 and Diamond Drills USA DMC161 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 161 is this color regardless of drill brand — though each manufacturer dyes to the reference in its own batches, so avoid mixing brands inside one large block.
Which other thread brands come closest to DMC 161?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Mill Hill Beads 02026 (97%), Kreinik 018V Vintage Navy (94%), Appleton 924 Dull China Blue (90%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.