523 — Fern Green light
Greens family
Below: DMC 523 (Fern Green light), a medium, subdued green shade with hex #8E9773 and RGB 142, 151, 115. Find its closest Gentle Art Sampler, Valdani, and Crescent Colours matches ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 similar DMC shades and a full set of color harmony picks.
Brand Equivalents for DMC 523
Top 5 closest matches in each brand, ranked by visual color similarity. How matching works
Anchor
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Valdani
Crescent Colours
Similar DMC Colors to 523
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 523
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 523 (Fern Green light) sits a hair from DMC 3053 (Green Grey) (ΔE 2.6) — close enough to blend a strand of each for a smooth gradient or to swap one for the other in a pinch.
Color Harmonies for DMC 523
DMC threads that pair well with 523, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Greens Family
DMC 523 in context with nearby shades from the greens color family.
About DMC 523
Known as Fern Green light, DMC 523 is a medium, subdued shade sitting in the greens family with yellow-green tones. The restrained and earthy mood of this color makes it a natural fit for landscape details and ferns. Expect to see it used in herb gardens and forest canopies across many cross-stitch charts.
Frequently Asked Questions
DMC 523 — what color is it?
The color of DMC 523 is Fern Green light — a medium green thread (hex #8E9773, RGB 142, 151, 115). It shows up most in moss textures and avocado themes.
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 523?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 523 (Fern Green light) is Anchor 261 (Laurel Green Medium) with a 82% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 254 (Forest Green Very Light, 61%) and Anchor 853 (Avocado Very Light, 55%).
Which DMC threads are close to 523?
The closest DMC threads to 523 are 3053 Green Grey (ΔE 2.6), 524 Fern Green very light (ΔE 4.19), and 3364 Pine Green (ΔE 5.01). These are useful substitutes when 523 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is DMC 523 good for?
DMC 523 (Fern Green light) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring moss textures, avocado themes, foliage, nature scenes. Its medium tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 523.
What fabric color works best with DMC 523 (Fern Green light)?
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, 523 has a contrast ratio of about 3.1:1 on white fabric and 6.8:1 on black. As a soft cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.