3746 — Blue Violet dark
Purples family#604F9F
Looking up DMC 3746? It's Blue Violet dark, a medium purple shade (#604F9F / RGB 96, 79, 159). Scroll down for Crescent Colors, Anchor, and Madeira equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close DMC alternatives and curated color harmonies.
About DMC 3746
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Iris
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 3746
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 3746 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 3746 (Blue Violet dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 3746
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 3746
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 3746 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 Blue Violet dark turns up.
DMC 3746 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 3746.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D3746, Diamond Drills USA DMC3746. A kit legend or drill bag marked 3746 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 3746
DMC threads that pair well with 3746, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Purples Family
DMC3746 in context with nearby shades from the purples color family.
About DMC 3746
DMC 3746 (Blue Violet dark) is a medium, moderately saturated shade in the purples family. Expect a rich and warm look that suits wisteria, amethyst tones, and similar motifs. Cross stitch enthusiasts often reach for this thread when stitching iris blooms or eggplant designs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DMC 3746 look like?
DMC 3746 (Blue Violet dark) is a medium shade in the purples family with hex #604F9F and RGB 96, 79, 159. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring lavender fields and royal motifs.
Which Anchor thread matches DMC 3746?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 3746 (Blue Violet dark) is Anchor 111 (Lavender Dark) with a 72% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 177 (Cornflower Blue Dark, 70%) and Anchor 941 (Cornflower Blue Medium, 63%).
What DMC colors are similar to 3746?
The closest DMC threads to 3746 are 32 Dark Blueberry (ΔE 6.27), 31 Blueberry (ΔE 6.75), and 3807 Cornflower Blue (ΔE 7.14). These are useful substitutes when 3746 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use DMC 3746?
Reach for DMC 3746 (Blue Violet dark) when your project calls for lavender fields, royal motifs, floral details, elegant accents. Its medium character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 3746.
What fabric color works best with DMC 3746 (Blue Violet 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, 3746 has a contrast ratio of about 6.7:1 on white fabric and 3.1:1 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 3746?
No. DMC 3746 (Blue Violet 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 3746?
Diamond Dotz D3746 and Diamond Drills USA DMC3746 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 3746 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 3746?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Artkal R R23 Royal Purple (94%), Bella Lusso 0285 Tanzanite (93%), Luca-S 131 (91%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.