451 — Shell Grey dark
Grays family#7A6C6C
DMC 451 — Shell Grey dark — has hex #7A6C6C and RGB 122, 108, 108. This medium, subdued gray 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 451
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Little Gray
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 451
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 451 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 451 (Shell Grey dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 451
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 451
It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground.
DMC 451 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 Shell Grey dark turns up.
DMC 451 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 451.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D451, Diamond Drills USA DMC451. A kit legend or drill bag marked 451 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 451
DMC threads that pair well with 451, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Grays Family
DMC451 in context with nearby shades from the grays color family.
About DMC 451
Shell Grey dark (catalog code DMC 451) is a medium, subdued shade from the grays family. It has a steady and quiet feel that suits industrial designs and wolf patterns particularly well. Designers often pair this shade with storm cloud accents or slate textures for balanced palettes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is DMC 451?
DMC 451 is called Shell Grey dark. It's a medium gray shade (hex #7A6C6C, RGB 122, 108, 108) in the grays family, commonly used for urban scenes, neutral backgrounds, and similar motifs.
What's the closest Anchor match for DMC 451?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 451 (Shell Grey dark) is Anchor 233 (Shell Grey Dark) with a 63% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 393 (Beige Grey Ultra Very Dark, 63%) and Anchor 400 (Pewter Grey Dark, 60%).
What's a good substitute for DMC 451?
The closest DMC threads to 451 are 04 Dark Tin (ΔE 6.74), 3861 Cocoa light (ΔE 7.34), and 07 Driftwood (ΔE 7.36). These are useful substitutes when 451 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use DMC 451?
Cross-stitchers pull DMC 451 (Shell Grey dark) for charts featuring urban scenes, neutral backgrounds, castle walls, elephant motifs. The medium 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 451 (Shell Grey dark)?
It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground. For reference, 451 has a contrast ratio of about 5:1 on white fabric and 4.2:1 on black. As a neutral shade, as a near-neutral, it plays quietly with almost any palette and works well as a background or shading tone.
Is there a metallic or satin version of DMC 451?
No. DMC 451 (Shell Grey 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 451?
Diamond Dotz D451 and Diamond Drills USA DMC451 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 451 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 451?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Appleton 973 Elephant Grey (94%), Needle Necessities 73 Chinchilla (91%), Madeira Rayon 1287 Gun Metal (86%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.