420 — Hazelnut Brown dark
Browns family#8E6034
DMC 420 — Hazelnut Brown dark — has hex #8E6034 and RGB 142, 96, 52. This medium-dark, moderately saturated brown 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 420
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Hazelnut
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 420
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 420 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 420 (Hazelnut Brown dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 420
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 420
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 420 (Hazelnut Brown dark) falls where flesh tones live; portrait and figure charts lean on shades like it, graded against nearby lighter and darker threads for natural shadow.
DMC 420 (Hazelnut Brown dark) sits a hair from DMC 167 (Yellow Beige very dark) (ΔE 1.81) — close enough to blend a strand of each for a smooth gradient or to swap one for the other in a pinch.
DMC 420 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 Hazelnut Brown dark turns up.
DMC 420 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 420.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D420, Diamond Drills USA DMC420. A kit legend or drill bag marked 420 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 420
DMC threads that pair well with 420, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Browns Family
DMC420 in context with nearby shades from the browns color family.
About DMC 420
Known as Hazelnut Brown dark, DMC 420 is a medium-dark, moderately saturated shade sitting in the browns family with earthy sienna tones. It has a rich and grounded feel that suits warm outlines and wooden textures particularly well. Designers often pair this shade with coffee themes or rustic designs for balanced palettes.
Frequently Asked Questions
DMC 420 — what color is it?
The color of DMC 420 is Hazelnut Brown dark — a medium-dark brown thread (hex #8E6034, RGB 142, 96, 52). It shows up most in bark patterns and gingerbread themes.
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 420?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 420 (Hazelnut Brown dark) is Anchor 375 (Hazelnut Brown Medium) with a 77% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 898 (Drab Brown Dark, 65%) and Anchor 903 (Brown Grey Medium, 65%).
Which DMC threads are close to 420?
The closest DMC threads to 420 are 167 Yellow Beige very dark (ΔE 1.81), 435 Brown very light (ΔE 5.88), and 781 Topaz Very Dark (ΔE 5.92). These are useful substitutes when 420 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is DMC 420 good for?
DMC 420 (Hazelnut Brown dark) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring bark patterns, gingerbread themes, tree trunks, earth tones. Its medium-dark tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 420.
What fabric color works best with DMC 420 (Hazelnut 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, 420 has a contrast ratio of about 5.4:1 on white fabric and 3.9:1 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 420?
No. DMC 420 (Hazelnut Brown dark) 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 420?
Diamond Dotz D420 and Diamond Drills USA DMC420 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 420 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 420?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Soie d'Alger 2336 Hazel Nut Brown dark (100%), Planet Earth Pepperpot 051 chestnut (94%), Gamma 3184 горчичный (92%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.