3688 — Mauve medium
Pinks family#D16987
Looking up DMC 3688? It's Mauve medium, a medium-light pink shade (#D16987 / RGB 209, 105, 135). Scroll down for Cosmo, Classic Colorworks, and Weeks Dye Works equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close DMC alternatives and curated color harmonies.
About DMC 3688
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Pink Lupine
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 3688
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 3688 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 3688 (Mauve medium) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 3688
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 3688
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 3688 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 Mauve medium turns up.
DMC 3688 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 3688.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D3688, Diamond Drills USA DMC3688. A kit legend or drill bag marked 3688 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 3688
DMC threads that pair well with 3688, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Pinks Family
DMC3688 in context with nearby shades from the pinks color family.
About DMC 3688
A medium-light, vivid entry in the pinks family, DMC 3688 carries the name Mauve medium with rose pink tones. The shade reads as fresh and confident — a go-to choice for cosmetics-themed designs and rose buds. It also turns up in patterns built around florals and skin tones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is DMC 3688?
DMC 3688 is called Mauve medium. It's a medium-light pink shade (hex #D16987, RGB 209, 105, 135) in the pinks family, commonly used for ballet themes, baby projects, and similar motifs.
What's the closest Anchor match for DMC 3688?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 3688 (Mauve medium) is Anchor 76 (Plum Medium Light) with a 84% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 62 (Cerise Light, 82%) and Anchor 40 (Rose, 65%).
What's a good substitute for DMC 3688?
The closest DMC threads to 3688 are 962 Dusty Rose medium (ΔE 3.57), 3733 Dusty Rose (ΔE 3.78), and 899 Rose medium (ΔE 5.53). These are useful substitutes when 3688 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use DMC 3688?
Cross-stitchers pull DMC 3688 (Mauve medium) for charts featuring ballet themes, baby projects, peony petals, flamingo designs. 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 3688 (Mauve medium)?
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, 3688 has a contrast ratio of about 3.5:1 on white fabric and 6.1:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.
Is there a metallic or satin version of DMC 3688?
No. DMC 3688 (Mauve medium) 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 3688?
Diamond Dotz D3688 and Diamond Drills USA DMC3688 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 3688 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 3688?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Finca 2246 Mauve medium (94%), Caron 158 Grape (91%), Soie d'Alger 3023 Mauve (90%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.