3820 — Straw dark
Oranges family#D6962B
Need details on DMC 3820? This medium, vivid orange shade (Straw dark) is hex #D6962B, RGB 214, 150, 43. 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.
About DMC 3820
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Sunshine
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 3820
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 3820 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 3820 (Straw dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 3820
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 3820
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 3820 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 Straw dark turns up.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D3820, Diamond Drills USA DMC3820. A kit legend or drill bag marked 3820 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 3820
DMC threads that pair well with 3820, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Oranges Family
DMC3820 in context with nearby shades from the oranges color family.
About DMC 3820
DMC 3820 is the floss known as Straw dark: a vivid, medium member of the oranges family with golden orange tones. Stitchers describe its character as rich and lively, perfect for warm accents and seasonal designs. It blends comfortably into projects centered on pumpkins and marigolds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DMC 3820 look like?
DMC 3820 (Straw dark) is a medium shade in the oranges family with hex #D6962B and RGB 214, 150, 43. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring fall harvest scenes and monarch butterflies.
Which Anchor thread matches DMC 3820?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 3820 (Straw dark) is Anchor 890 (Old Gold Medium) with a 72% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 306 (Gold, 72%) and Anchor 307 (Topaz Light, 67%).
What DMC colors are similar to 3820?
The closest DMC threads to 3820 are 19 Medium Light Autumn Gold (ΔE 5.18), 729 Old Gold medium (ΔE 6.47), and 728 Golden Yellow (ΔE 6.54). These are useful substitutes when 3820 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use DMC 3820?
Reach for DMC 3820 (Straw dark) when your project calls for fall harvest scenes, monarch butterflies, persimmon patterns, autumn leaves. Its medium character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 3820.
What fabric color works best with DMC 3820 (Straw 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, 3820 has a contrast ratio of about 2.5:1 on white fabric and 8.3:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.
Does DMC 3820 come in a satin, metallic, or Étoile version?
Yes. The same number is made as DMC Satin S3820. The base shade is matched across the lines, but the fiber changes the look: Satin is a high-sheen rayon, Light Effects is a metallic polyester most people blend one strand at a time, and Étoile is cotton with a sparkle filament that stitches like ordinary floss.
What is the diamond painting drill code for DMC 3820?
Diamond Dotz D3820 and Diamond Drills USA DMC3820 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 3820 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 3820?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Eterna Silk 619 Straw Medium Dark (94%), Bella Lusso 0726 Daffodil (94%), Caron 4032 Butter (92%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.