503 — Blue Green medium
Greens family#839C8B
Need details on DMC 503? This medium-light, subdued green shade (Blue Green medium) is hex #839C8B, RGB 131, 156, 139. Cross-brand equivalents in Madeira, J&P Coates, and Sullivans are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby DMC shades and color-theory harmony pairings.
About DMC 503
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Thyme Green
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 503
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 503 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 503 (Blue Green medium) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 503
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 503
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 503 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 Blue Green medium turns up.
DMC 503 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 503.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D503, Diamond Drills USA DMC503. A kit legend or drill bag marked 503 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 503
DMC threads that pair well with 503, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Greens Family
DMC503 in context with nearby shades from the greens color family.
About DMC 503
Known as Blue Green medium, DMC 503 is a medium-light, subdued shade sitting in the greens family with cool forest tones. With a restrained and versatile quality, this thread works beautifully in frog patterns and moss textures. You will find this color at home in patterns featuring avocado themes and foliage.
Frequently Asked Questions
DMC 503 — what color is it?
The color of DMC 503 is Blue Green medium — a medium-light green thread (hex #839C8B, RGB 131, 156, 139). It shows up most in ferns and herb gardens.
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 503?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 503 (Blue Green medium) is Anchor 876 (Sea Foam Green Medium) with a 84% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 215 (Misty Green Light, 81%) and Anchor 208 (Jade Light, 60%).
Which DMC threads are close to 503?
The closest DMC threads to 503 are 3813 Blue Green light (ΔE 5.09), 3817 Celadon Green light (ΔE 5.72), and 927 Grey Green light (ΔE 6.76). These are useful substitutes when 503 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is DMC 503 good for?
DMC 503 (Blue Green medium) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring ferns, herb gardens, forest canopies, cactus motifs. Its medium-light tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 503.
What fabric color works best with DMC 503 (Blue Green medium)?
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, 503 has a contrast ratio of about 3:1 on white fabric and 7.1:1 on black. As a soft cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.
Is there a metallic or satin version of DMC 503?
No. DMC 503 (Blue Green medium) 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 503?
Diamond Dotz D503 and Diamond Drills USA DMC503 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 503 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 503?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Needle Necessities 646 Kauai (92%), PNK Kirov 9276 (91%), Unitas Ljubica 475 (88%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.