17 — Light Yellow Plum
Yellows family
DMC 17 (Light Yellow Plum) is a medium-light, vivid yellow shade with hex code #D5C551 and RGB values 213, 197, 81. Below you'll find the closest Sullivans, Cosmo, and Classic Colorworks equivalents — ranked by visual color similarity — plus 8 similar DMC shades and color harmony pairings.
Brand Equivalents for DMC 17
Top 5 closest matches in each brand, ranked by visual color similarity. How matching works
Anchor
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Valdani
Crescent Colours
Similar DMC Colors to 17
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 17
It reads best on black or dark fabric and can wash out on white, so reach for a dark or mid-tone ground.
Its nearest neighbor, DMC 12 (Tender Green), is barely a step away (ΔE 2.88). Tweed the two together for subtle shading, or substitute freely when one is out of stock.
Color Harmonies for DMC 17
DMC threads that pair well with 17, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Yellows Family
DMC 17 in context with nearby shades from the yellows color family.
About DMC 17
Light Yellow Plum (catalog code DMC 17) is a medium-light, vivid shade from the yellows family with warm gold tones. This thread brings a fresh and confident presence to projects featuring highlights or warm backgrounds. Look for it in charts that feature golden accents or stars.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is DMC 17?
DMC 17 is called Light Yellow Plum. It's a medium-light yellow shade (hex #D5C551, RGB 213, 197, 81) in the yellows family, commonly used for lemon motifs, rubber duck designs, and similar motifs.
What's the closest Anchor match for DMC 17?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 17 (Light Yellow Plum) is Anchor 278 (Lime Green Light) with a 80% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 293 (Golden Yellow Light, 65%) and Anchor 295 (Golden Yellow Medium Light, 63%).
What's a good substitute for DMC 17?
The closest DMC threads to 17 are 12 Tender Green (ΔE 2.88), 18 Yellow Plum (ΔE 2.97), and 165 Moss Green very light (ΔE 4.04). These are useful substitutes when 17 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use DMC 17?
Cross-stitchers pull DMC 17 (Light Yellow Plum) for charts featuring lemon motifs, rubber duck designs, bumblebee patterns, canary themes. The medium-light 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 17 (Light Yellow Plum)?
It reads best on black or dark fabric and can wash out on white, so reach for a dark or mid-tone ground. For reference, 17 has a contrast ratio of about 1.8:1 on white fabric and 11.9:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.