498 — Christmas Red dark
Reds family#880025
Looking up DMC 498? It's Christmas Red dark, a medium-dark red shade (#880025 / RGB 136, 0, 37). Scroll down for Cosmo, Classic Colorworks, and Weeks Dye Works equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close DMC alternatives and curated color harmonies.
About DMC 498
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Red Kiss
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 498
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 498 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 498 (Christmas Red dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 498
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 498
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Saturated shades like DMC 498 (Christmas Red dark) punch above their stitch count — ideal for the one detail in a design that should grab attention.
Because DMC 816 (Garnet) is so near (ΔE 1.8), the pair makes a natural two-step gradient — handy for shading skin, petals, or skies without a hard seam.
DMC 498 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 Christmas Red dark turns up.
DMC 498 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 498.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D498, Diamond Drills USA DMC498. A kit legend or drill bag marked 498 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 498
DMC threads that pair well with 498, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Reds Family
DMC498 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.
About DMC 498
DMC 498 is the floss known as Christmas Red dark: a highly saturated, medium-dark member of the reds family. The shade reads as deep and vivid — 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 498 look like?
DMC 498 (Christmas Red dark) is a medium-dark shade in the reds family with hex #880025 and RGB 136, 0, 37. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring ladybug designs and barn scenes.
Which Anchor thread matches DMC 498?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 498 (Christmas Red dark) is Anchor 43 (Garnet Medium) with a 84% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 1028 (Dusty Plum Dark, 74%) and Anchor 20 (Garnet Light, 74%).
What DMC colors are similar to 498?
The closest DMC threads to 498 are 816 Garnet (ΔE 1.8), 304 Christmas Red medium (ΔE 3.61), and 3777 Terra Cotta very dark (ΔE 4.52). These are useful substitutes when 498 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use DMC 498?
Reach for DMC 498 (Christmas Red dark) when your project calls for ladybug designs, barn scenes, tomato patterns, roses. Its medium-dark character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 498.
What fabric color works best with DMC 498 (Christmas Red 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, 498 has a contrast ratio of about 10.1:1 on white fabric and 2.1:1 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 498?
No. DMC 498 (Christmas Red 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 498?
Diamond Dotz D498 and Diamond Drills USA DMC498 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 498 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 498?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Appleton 947 Bright Rose Pink (96%), Luca-S 43 (95%), Needle Necessities C141 Dark Xmas Red (94%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.