DMC Mouliné Spécial

3855 — Autumn Gold light

Oranges family

DMC 3855 — Autumn Gold light — has hex #F9C170 and RGB 249, 193, 112. This light, highly saturated orange thread sits alongside its closest Anchor, Madeira, and J&P Coates matches below, with 8 similar DMC shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.

Hex
#F9C170
RGB
249, 193, 112
HSL
35°, 92%, 71%
Lab
81.5, 11.0, 48.1
Lightness
71%
Light
Saturation
92%
Vivid
Hue
35°
Family
Oranges

Brand Equivalents for DMC 3855

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

DMC 3855Autumn Gold light

Closest match to DMC 3855 in 43 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 colour distance: 93% and up is hard to tell apart, under 75% is a visible shift.

More stranded cotton

PNK Kirov040290% Good
Luca-S35389% Good
Gamma0020 роз-желтый86% Good
Dimensions6126 Tangerine light83% Fair
Finca1232 Tangerine light83% Fair
Ariadna415874% Approx
Riolis22966% Approx

Hand-dyed & overdyed

Crescent Colors Silk029 Buttercup76% Fair
Caron3015 Tangerine76% Fair
Needle Necessities5144 Marigolds70% Approx
The Gentle Art Simply Shaker7020 Butternut Squash69% Approx
ThreadworX1108 Lemon Meringue67% Approx
Olde Willow001 Autumn Splendor64% Approx
The Gentle Art0430 Summer Meadow57% Approx
Classic Colorworks SilkCake49% Approx
Dinky Dyes32 Sunflower14% Approx

Silk

Eterna Silk460 Tangerine Very Light93% Best
Vineyard Silk047 Straw82% Fair
Soie d'Alger2242 Old Gold light81% Fair
Kreinik Silk Mori7174 Medium Honey70% Approx
Kimono Silk303 Rising Sun68% Approx
YLI Silk229 Yellow63% Approx
Silk and Ivory201 Lion55% Approx

Wool for needlepoint

Appleton471 Autumn Yellow45% Approx

Metallic, rayon & specialty

Rainbow GalleryS839 Lite Pumpkin93% Best
Madeira Rayon1026 Glow86% Good
Kreinik051F Tangerine83% Fair
Anchor Marlitt1013 Yellow light78% Fair
Petite Treasure BraidPB03 Gold66% Approx
Coats Rayon83B Temple Gold63% Approx
Glissen Gloss407 Brass55% Approx

Other threads & beads

Coats Puppets7290 7290Puppets68% Approx
Mill Hill Beads0014867% Approx
Planet Earth Pepperpot040 yolk57% Approx
Planet Earth040 sunshine54% Approx

Fuse beads

Artkal SS90 Pastel Orange93% Best
CocoD0489% Good
MARDA1389% Good
PerlerP274 Rich Butter74% Approx
HamaH78 Light Orange60% Approx

Yarn for crochet & knitting

Red Heart Super Saver0234 Saffron60% Approx
Caron One Pound10549 Sunflower58% Approx
Bernat Super Value53809 Sunshine58% Approx

Need the runners-up, or a whole pattern converted? The thread conversion chart ranks every alternative for DMC 3855 (Autumn Gold light) in any brand.

Similar DMC Colors to 3855

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

Working with DMC 3855

On white fabric
1.6:1
On dark fabric
12.9:1
Temperature
warm
Closest to
tan

It reads best on black or dark fabric and can wash out on white, so reach for a dark or mid-tone ground.

Bold accents & focal points

DMC 3855 (Autumn Gold light) is vivid enough to carry a focal point; use it sparingly for accents so it stays the star rather than competing across the whole piece.

DMC 3855 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 Autumn Gold light turns up.

DMC 3855 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 3855.

Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D3855, Diamond Drills USA AD3855. A kit legend or drill bag marked 3855 means this colour. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.

Color Harmonies for DMC 3855

DMC threads that pair well with 3855, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading

Oranges Family

DMC 3855 in context with nearby shades from the oranges color family.

About DMC 3855

A light, highly saturated entry in the oranges family, DMC 3855 carries the name Autumn Gold light with golden orange tones. Its tone is fresh and easy, making it a popular choice for monarch butterflies and persimmon patterns. It pairs nicely in designs that call for autumn leaves or sunsets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color is DMC 3855?

DMC 3855 is called Autumn Gold light. It's a light orange shade (hex #F9C170, RGB 249, 193, 112) in the oranges family, commonly used for marigolds, fall wreaths, and similar motifs.

What's the closest Anchor match for DMC 3855?

The closest Anchor match for DMC 3855 (Autumn Gold light) is Anchor 891 (Old Gold Light) with a 91% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 301 (Burnt Orange Very Light, 85%) and Anchor 305 (Topaz Very Light, 83%).

What's a good substitute for DMC 3855?

The closest DMC threads to 3855 are 676 Old Gold light (ΔE 3.82), 725 Topaz (ΔE 5.64), and 3822 Straw light (ΔE 6.24). These are useful substitutes when 3855 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What projects use DMC 3855?

Cross-stitchers pull DMC 3855 (Autumn Gold light) for charts featuring marigolds, fall wreaths, citrus motifs, fox designs. The 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 3855 (Autumn Gold light)?

It reads best on black or dark fabric and can wash out on white, so reach for a dark or mid-tone ground. For reference, 3855 has a contrast ratio of about 1.6:1 on white fabric and 12.9:1 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 3855?

No. DMC 3855 (Autumn Gold light) 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 colour with two strands of the cotton.

What is the diamond painting drill code for DMC 3855?

Diamond Dotz D3855 and Diamond Drills USA AD3855 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 3855 is this colour 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 3855?

Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Eterna Silk 460 Tangerine Very Light (93%), Rainbow Gallery S839 Lite Pumpkin (93%), Artkal S S90 Pastel Orange (93%). Percentages are perceptual colour distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.