3773 — Desert Sand Medium
Oranges family#CF866D
DMC 3773 — Desert Sand Medium — has hex #CF866D and RGB 207, 134, 109. This medium-light, vivid orange thread sits alongside its closest Classic Colorworks, Weeks Dye Works, and Gentle Art Sampler matches below, with 8 similar DMC shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.
About DMC 3773
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 3773
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 3773 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 3773 (Desert Sand Medium) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 3773
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 3773
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Its warm mid-tone sits in the skin-tone range, so DMC 3773 (Desert Sand Medium) turns up in portraits, figures, and faces — usually blended with a lighter and a darker neighbor for shading.
DMC 3773 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 Desert Sand Medium turns up.
DMC 3773 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 3773.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D3773. A kit legend or drill bag marked 3773 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 3773
DMC threads that pair well with 3773, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Oranges Family
DMC3773 in context with nearby shades from the oranges color family.
About DMC 3773
DMC 3773 (Desert Sand Medium) is a medium-light, vivid shade in the oranges family with deep amber tones. It has a balanced and lively feel that suits marigolds and fall wreaths particularly well. Designers often pair this shade with citrus motifs or fox designs for balanced palettes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DMC 3773 look like?
DMC 3773 (Desert Sand Medium) is a medium-light shade in the oranges family with hex #CF866D and RGB 207, 134, 109. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring autumn leaves and sunsets.
Which Anchor thread matches DMC 3773?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 3773 (Desert Sand Medium) is Anchor 914 (Flesh Dark) with a 95% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 883 (Antique Mahogany, 81%) and Anchor 337 (Mahogany Very Light, 78%).
What DMC colors are similar to 3773?
The closest DMC threads to 3773 are 758 Terra Cotta very light (ΔE 3.56), 3771 Terra Cotta ultra very light (ΔE 6.4), and 3064 Desert Sand (ΔE 6.83). These are useful substitutes when 3773 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use DMC 3773?
Reach for DMC 3773 (Desert Sand Medium) when your project calls for autumn leaves, sunsets, warm accents, seasonal designs. Its medium-light character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 3773.
What fabric color works best with DMC 3773 (Desert Sand 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, 3773 has a contrast ratio of about 2.9:1 on white fabric and 7.3:1 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 3773?
No. DMC 3773 (Desert Sand 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 3773?
Diamond Dotz D3773 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 3773 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 3773?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Coats Puppets 7337 Antique rose (96%), Mill Hill Beads 03575 (92%), Rainbow Gallery N17 Peach (88%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.