DMC Mouliné Spécial

3781 — Mocha Brown dark

Browns family

Need details on DMC 3781? This dark, muted brown shade (Mocha Brown dark) is hex #503D2E, RGB 80, 61, 46. Cross-brand equivalents in Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art Sampler, and Valdani are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby DMC shades and color-theory harmony pairings.

Hex
#503D2E
RGB
80, 61, 46
HSL
26°, 27%, 25%
Lab
27.4, 5.9, 12.4
Lightness
25%
Dark
Saturation
27%
Muted
Hue
26°
Family
Browns

Brand Equivalents for DMC 3781

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

DMC 3781 Mocha Brown dark

Sullivans

Mocha Brown Dark 45393 69% Approx
Drab Brown 45144 69% Approx
Beige Brown Dark 45237 60% Fair
Golden Olive Dark 45231 60% Fair
Drab Brown Dark 45143 59% Fair

Crescent Colours

Camouflage 063 62% Fair
Wisconsin Woods 114 57% Fair
Rod and Reel 116 56% Fair
Brown Sugar 178 52% Fair
Cappuccino 007 49% Fair

Similar DMC Colors to 3781

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

DMC 3781 Mocha Brown dark
Brown Grey very dark DMC 3021 Very close ΔE 3.44 Beige Brown dark DMC 839 Very close ΔE 4.6 Beige Grey ultra dark DMC 3790 Close ΔE 5.45 Mocha Brown very dark DMC 3031 Noticeable ΔE 5.8 Brown Grey dark DMC 3787 Noticeable ΔE 5.97 Beige Brown very dark DMC 838 Noticeable ΔE 6.18 Drab Brown dark DMC 610 Noticeable ΔE 6.21 Coffee Brown very dark DMC 898 Noticeable ΔE 6.81

Working with DMC 3781

On white fabric
10.3:1
On dark fabric
2:1
Temperature
soft warm
Closest to
charcoal

It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.

Color Harmonies for DMC 3781

DMC threads that pair well with 3781, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
3781
930 Antique Blue dark
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
3781
936 Avocado Green very dark 779 Cocoa dark
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
3781
500 Blue Green very dark 29 Eggplant
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading
3781
07 Driftwood 06 Medium Light Driftwood 543 Beige Brown ultra very light

Browns Family

DMC 3781 in context with nearby shades from the browns color family.

3781 Mocha Brown dark 3781 3787 Brown Grey dark 3787 830 Golden Olive dark 830 839 Beige Brown dark 839 433 Brown medium 433 829 Golden Olive very dark 829 801 Coffee Brown dark 801 3021 Brown Grey very dark 3021 898 Coffee Brown very dark 898 3031 Mocha Brown very dark 3031 3371 Black Brown 3371

About DMC 3781

Meet DMC 3781, Mocha Brown dark — a muted, dark thread in the browns family with earthy sienna tones. Stitchers describe its character as dramatic and quiet, perfect for tree trunks and earth tones. It blends comfortably into projects centered on animal fur and warm outlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

DMC 3781 — what color is it?

The color of DMC 3781 is Mocha Brown dark — a dark brown thread (hex #503D2E, RGB 80, 61, 46). It shows up most in leather accents and horse designs.

What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 3781?

The closest Anchor match for DMC 3781 (Mocha Brown dark) is Anchor 904 (Brown Grey Medium) with a 91% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 898 (Drab Brown Dark, 82%) and Anchor 1086 (Taupe Medium Dark, 77%).

Which DMC threads are close to 3781?

The closest DMC threads to 3781 are 3021 Brown Grey very dark (ΔE 3.44), 839 Beige Brown dark (ΔE 4.6), and 3790 Beige Grey ultra dark (ΔE 5.45). These are useful substitutes when 3781 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What is DMC 3781 good for?

DMC 3781 (Mocha Brown dark) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring leather accents, horse designs, cinnamon motifs, bark patterns. Its dark tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 3781.

What fabric color works best with DMC 3781 (Mocha Brown 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, 3781 has a contrast ratio of about 10.3:1 on white fabric and 2:1 on black. As a soft warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.

DMC Color Chart DMC ↔ Anchor Conversion