603 — Cranberry
Pinks family#E94F8C
DMC 603 — Cranberry — has hex #E94F8C and RGB 233, 79, 140. This medium-light, vivid pink thread sits alongside its closest Anchor, Madeira, and J&P Coates matches below, with 8 similar DMC shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.
About DMC 603
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Macaroon Pink
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 603
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 603 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 603 (Cranberry) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 603
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 603
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
With its high saturation, DMC 603 (Cranberry) draws the eye — a natural pick for focal motifs, small pops of color, and details you want to read first.
DMC 603 (Cranberry) sits a hair from DMC 3806 (Cyclamen Pink light) (ΔE 1.71) — close enough to blend a strand of each for a smooth gradient or to swap one for the other in a pinch.
DMC 603 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 Cranberry turns up.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D603, Diamond Drills USA DMC603. A kit legend or drill bag marked 603 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 603
DMC threads that pair well with 603, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Pinks Family
DMC603 in context with nearby shades from the pinks color family.
About DMC 603
Meet DMC 603, Cranberry — a vivid, medium-light thread in the pinks family with rose pink tones. Its tone is crisp and versatile, making it a popular choice for baby projects and peony petals. It pairs nicely in designs that call for flamingo designs or tulip blooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
DMC 603 — what color is it?
The color of DMC 603 is Cranberry — a medium-light pink thread (hex #E94F8C, RGB 233, 79, 140). It shows up most in skin tones and romantic motifs.
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 603?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 603 (Cranberry) is Anchor 62 (Cerise Light) with a 77% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 63 (Cerise, 72%) and Anchor 76 (Plum Medium Light, 67%).
Which DMC threads are close to 603?
The closest DMC threads to 603 are 3806 Cyclamen Pink light (ΔE 1.71), 962 Dusty Rose medium (ΔE 5.08), and 3688 Mauve medium (ΔE 6.08). These are useful substitutes when 603 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is DMC 603 good for?
DMC 603 (Cranberry) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring skin tones, romantic motifs, blush accents, cherry blossoms. 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 603.
What fabric color works best with DMC 603 (Cranberry)?
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, 603 has a contrast ratio of about 3.5:1 on white fabric and 6:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.
Does DMC 603 come in a satin, metallic, or Étoile version?
Yes. The same number is made as DMC Étoile C603. The base shade is matched across the lines, but the fiber changes the look: Satin is a high-sheen rayon, Light Effects is a metallic polyester most people blend one strand at a time, and Étoile is cotton with a sparkle filament that stitches like ordinary floss.
What is the diamond painting drill code for DMC 603?
Diamond Dotz D603 and Diamond Drills USA DMC603 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 603 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 603?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Eterna Silk 2030 Magenta Medium (94%), Fine d'Aubusson 1666 Fine d'Aubusson (92%), Needlepoint Inc Silk 684 Hot Pink (90%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.