DMC Mouliné Spécial

23 — Apple Blossom

Pinks family

Below: DMC 23 (Apple Blossom), a very light, muted pink shade with hex #E8DADF and RGB 232, 218, 223. Find its closest J&P Coates, Sullivans, and Cosmo matches ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 similar DMC shades and a full set of color harmony picks.

Hex
#E8DADF
RGB
232, 218, 223
HSL
339°, 23%, 88%
Lab
88.3, 5.7, -0.7
Lightness
88%
Very light
Saturation
23%
Neutral
Hue
339°
Family
Pinks

Brand Equivalents for DMC 23

Top 5 closest matches in each brand, ranked by visual color similarity.How matching works

DMC 23Apple Blossom

Closest match to DMC 23 in 43 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 colour distance: 93% and up is hard to tell apart, under 75% is a visible shift.

More stranded cotton

Luca-S10989% Good
Finca172180% Fair
Ariadna181379% Fair
PNK Kirov110277% Fair
Gamma5217 бл.бл.розовый76% Fair
Dimensions3743 Antique Violet very light75% Fair
Riolis50064% Approx

Hand-dyed & overdyed

Caron117 Fresh Pink85% Good
Needle Necessities911 Camellia84% Fair
Olde Willow068 Stardust73% Approx
The Gentle Art0730 Cameo Pink65% Approx
Crescent Colors Silk052 Violet Water62% Approx
ThreadworX1130 Clay Gardens59% Approx
Classic Colorworks SilkIcing40% Approx
The Gentle Art Simply Shaker7054 Chalk35% Approx
Dinky Dyes12 Lemon Sherbet30% Approx

Silk

Silk and Ivory223 Posie90% Good
Kreinik Silk Mori643 Lt Lavender Water81% Fair
Eterna Silk2260 Soft Carnation76% Fair
Soie d'Alger3441 Pearl Grey very light57% Approx
Kimono Silk309 Cherry Blossom57% Approx
Vineyard Silk215 Hush56% Approx
YLI Silk269 Light Silver50% Approx

Wool for needlepoint

Appleton991B Bright White27% Approx

Metallic, rayon & specialty

Kreinik9200 Blossom93% Best
Rainbow GalleryS934 Pale Amethyst91% Good
Glissen Gloss609 Iridescent Pale Pink78% Fair
Anchor Marlitt800 White68% Approx
Madeira Rayon1114 Bisque66% Approx
Coats Rayon30 Pink light56% Approx
Petite Treasure BraidPB300 White45% Approx

Other threads & beads

Planet Earth219 baby86% Good
Coats Puppets7048 7048Puppets80% Fair
Mill Hill Beads4201874% Approx
Planet Earth Pepperpot002 salt50% Approx

Fuse beads

CocoA0993% Best
MARDH893% Best
HamaH19 Clear66% Approx
PerlerP01 White58% Approx
Artkal SS77 Ghost White57% Approx

Yarn for crochet & knitting

Caron One Pound02002 Pink90% Good
Bernat Super Value07391 White67% Approx
Red Heart Super Saver0373 Petal Pink60% Approx

Need the runners-up, or a whole pattern converted? The thread conversion chart ranks every alternative for DMC 23 (Apple Blossom) in any brand.

Similar DMC Colors to 23

Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.

Working with DMC 23

On white fabric
1.4:1
On dark fabric
15.5:1
Temperature
soft warm
Closest to
cream

It reads best on black or dark fabric and can wash out on white, so reach for a dark or mid-tone ground.

Highlights & negative space

Reach for DMC 23 (Apple Blossom) where a design needs lift — highlights, whites-on-white detail, and airy backgrounds that keep a busy palette from feeling heavy.

DMC 23 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 Apple Blossom turns up.

DMC 23 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 23.

Diamond painting: 23 is not in the standard drill set, so kits rarely call for it. Loose-drill shops that pour to DMC numbers are the usual source if a chart does.

Color Harmonies for DMC 23

DMC threads that pair well with 23, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading

Pinks Family

DMC 23 in context with nearby shades from the pinks color family.

About DMC 23

Meet DMC 23, Apple Blossom — a muted, very light thread in the pinks family with rose pink tones. The soft and quiet character of this shade lends itself well to baby projects and peony petals. Stitchers frequently choose it for flamingo designs and tulip blooms in their projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

DMC 23 — what color is it?

The color of DMC 23 is Apple Blossom — a very light pink thread (hex #E8DADF, RGB 232, 218, 223). It shows up most in skin tones and romantic motifs.

What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 23?

The closest Anchor match for DMC 23 (Apple Blossom) is Anchor 1026 (Dusty Violet Very Light) with a 68% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 271 (Baby Pink Ultra Very L, 66%) and Anchor 103 (Purple Very Light, 64%).

Which DMC threads are close to 23?

The closest DMC threads to 23 are 24 White Lavender (ΔE 3.66), 27 White Violet (ΔE 4.29), and 25 Ultra Light Lavender (ΔE 6.94). These are useful substitutes when 23 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What is DMC 23 good for?

DMC 23 (Apple Blossom) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring skin tones, romantic motifs, blush accents, cherry blossoms. Its very light tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 23.

Can DMC 23 (Apple Blossom) be used for highlights?

23 is light enough to read as a highlight and near-white filler. Use it for snow, porcelain, lacework, and the small glints that give a piece dimension.

Is there a metallic or satin version of DMC 23?

No. DMC 23 (Apple Blossom) 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 colour with two strands of the cotton.

Which other thread brands come closest to DMC 23?

Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Kreinik 9200 Blossom (93%), Coco A09 (93%), MARD H8 (93%). Percentages are perceptual colour distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.