DMC Mouliné Spécial

3859 — Rosewood light

Reds family

Looking up DMC 3859? It's Rosewood light, a medium red shade (#B26D5C / RGB 178, 109, 92). Scroll down for Cosmo, Classic Colorworks, and Weeks Dye Works equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close DMC alternatives and curated color harmonies.

Hex
#B26D5C
RGB
178, 109, 92
HSL
12°, 36%, 53%
Lab
53.1, 25.6, 21.1
Lightness
53%
Medium
Saturation
36%
Muted
Hue
12°
Family
Reds

Brand Equivalents for DMC 3859

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

DMC 3859Rosewood light

Closest match to DMC 3859 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 Kirov630489% Good
Luca-S40885% Good
Ariadna174884% Fair
Gamma3215 св.коричневый79% Fair
Dimensions13242 Shell Pink medium79% Fair
Finca7813 Terra Cotta medium78% Fair
Riolis89076% Fair

Hand-dyed & overdyed

Crescent Colors Silk088 Terra Potta92% Good
Olde Willow219 Quaker Meetinghouse Rust85% Good
ThreadworX1035 Cherry Vanilla84% Fair
Caron2032 Brown Rose80% Fair
Classic Colorworks SilkRustique79% Fair
The Gentle Art0380 Raspberry Parfait78% Fair
The Gentle Art Simply Shaker7072 Raspberry Frost73% Approx
Needle Necessities147 Copper Pennies73% Approx
Dinky Dyes13 Jaffa67% Approx

Silk

Silk and Ivory080 Bisque88% Good
Vineyard Silk017 Quartz86% Good
Eterna Silk1240 Brick Red Medium83% Fair
Soie d'Alger2642 Terra Cotta light82% Fair
Kreinik Silk Mori1096 Dark Wood Violet79% Fair
YLI Silk211 Medium Pink51% Approx
Kimono Silk368 Mt. Fuji41% Approx

Wool for needlepoint

Appleton222 Bright Terra Cotta88% Good

Metallic, rayon & specialty

Kreinik027 Orange89% Good
Madeira Rayon1218 Mahogany Rose87% Good
Rainbow GalleryW116 Fox Red84% Fair
Glissen Gloss811 Pumpkin73% Approx
Petite Treasure BraidPB21 Copper56% Approx
Anchor Marlitt1207 Mauve medium54% Approx
Coats Rayon135C Tango29% Approx

Other threads & beads

Planet Earth Pepperpot035 scallop78% Fair
Coats Puppets7337 7337Puppets72% Approx
Planet Earth026 witheringrose70% Approx
Mill Hill Beads0055640% Approx

Fuse beads

CocoY1476% Fair
MARDM1476% Fair
Artkal SS84 Deep Chestnut66% Approx
HamaH21 Tan51% Approx
PerlerP212 Spice50% Approx

Yarn for crochet & knitting

Red Heart Super Saver0364 Sienna62% Approx
Caron One Pound15010 Light Terracotta47% Approx
Bernat Super Value53806 Masala46% Approx

Need the runners-up, or a whole pattern converted? The thread conversion chart ranks every alternative for DMC 3859 (Rosewood light) in any brand.

Similar DMC Colors to 3859

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

Working with DMC 3859

On white fabric
4:1
On dark fabric
5.2:1
Temperature
warm
Closest to
rose

It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground.

Blending & gradients

Because DMC 407 (Clay Brown (3773)) is so near (ΔE 1.79), the pair makes a natural two-step gradient — handy for shading skin, petals, or skies without a hard seam.

DMC 3859 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 Rosewood light turns up.

DMC 3859 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 3859.

Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D3859, Diamond Drills USA AD3859. A kit legend or drill bag marked 3859 means this colour. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.

Color Harmonies for DMC 3859

DMC threads that pair well with 3859, 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

Reds Family

DMC 3859 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.

About DMC 3859

DMC 3859 is the floss known as Rosewood light: a moderately saturated, medium member of the reds family with red-orange tones. The shade reads as rich and warm — a go-to choice for holiday designs and bold accents. It also turns up in patterns built around berries and valentines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does DMC 3859 look like?

DMC 3859 (Rosewood light) is a medium shade in the reds family with hex #B26D5C and RGB 178, 109, 92. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring ladybug designs and barn scenes.

Which Anchor thread matches DMC 3859?

The closest Anchor match for DMC 3859 (Rosewood light) is Anchor 914 (Flesh Dark) with a 82% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 1013 (Terracotta, 80%) and Anchor 378 (Dusty Flesh Medium, 72%).

What DMC colors are similar to 3859?

The closest DMC threads to 3859 are 407 Clay Brown (3773) (ΔE 1.79), 3778 Terra Cotta light (ΔE 3.69), and 3064 Desert Sand (ΔE 3.81). These are useful substitutes when 3859 is unavailable or for building gradients.

When should I use DMC 3859?

Reach for DMC 3859 (Rosewood light) when your project calls for ladybug designs, barn scenes, tomato patterns, roses. Its medium character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 3859.

What fabric color works best with DMC 3859 (Rosewood light)?

It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground. For reference, 3859 has a contrast ratio of about 4:1 on white fabric and 5.2:1 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 3859?

No. DMC 3859 (Rosewood 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 3859?

Diamond Dotz D3859 and Diamond Drills USA AD3859 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 3859 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 3859?

Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Crescent Colors Silk 088 Terra Potta (92%), PNK Kirov 6304 (89%), Kreinik 027 Orange (89%). Percentages are perceptual colour distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.