209 — Lavender dark
Purples family#A66CB3
DMC 209 — Lavender dark — has hex #A66CB3 and RGB 166, 108, 179. This medium-light, moderately saturated purple thread sits alongside its closest Anchor, Madeira, and J&P Coates matches below, with 8 similar DMC shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.
About DMC 209
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Lilac
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 209
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 209 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 209 (Lavender dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 209
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 209
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 209 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 Lavender dark turns up.
DMC 209 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 209.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D209, Diamond Drills USA DMC209. A kit legend or drill bag marked 209 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 209
DMC threads that pair well with 209, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Purples Family
DMC209 in context with nearby shades from the purples color family.
About DMC 209
Meet DMC 209, Lavender dark — a moderately saturated, medium-light thread in the purples family. Its tone is easygoing and clear, making it a popular choice for lavender fields and royal motifs. It pairs nicely in designs that call for floral details or elegant accents.
Frequently Asked Questions
DMC 209 — what color is it?
The color of DMC 209 is Lavender dark — a medium-light purple thread (hex #A66CB3, RGB 166, 108, 179). It shows up most in iris blooms and eggplant designs.
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 209?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 209 (Lavender dark) is Anchor 98 (Violet Medium Light) with a 78% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 110 (Lavender Medium, 68%) and Anchor 109 (Lavender Light, 58%).
Which DMC threads are close to 209?
The closest DMC threads to 209 are 3836 Grape light (ΔE 8.91), 554 Violet light (ΔE 10.38), and 553 Violet (ΔE 10.5). These are useful substitutes when 209 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is DMC 209 good for?
DMC 209 (Lavender dark) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring iris blooms, eggplant designs, plum themes, lilac patterns. 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 209.
What fabric color works best with DMC 209 (Lavender dark)?
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, 209 has a contrast ratio of about 3.9:1 on white fabric and 5.4:1 on black. As a 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 209?
No. DMC 209 (Lavender dark) 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 209?
Diamond Dotz D209 and Diamond Drills USA DMC209 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 209 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 209?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Needle Necessities 8195 Coronation (96%), Needlepoint Inc Silk 784 Wisteria (88%), Finca 2627 Violet very dark (86%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.