642 — Beige Grey dark
Browns family#8C7D63
Need details on DMC 642? This medium, muted brown shade (Beige Grey dark) is hex #8C7D63, RGB 140, 125, 99. 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 642
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Umbra grey
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 642
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 642 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 642 (Beige Grey dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 642
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 642
It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground.
Its warm mid-tone sits in the skin-tone range, so DMC 642 (Beige Grey dark) turns up in portraits, figures, and faces — usually blended with a lighter and a darker neighbor for shading.
DMC 642 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 Beige Grey dark turns up.
DMC 642 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 642.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D642, Diamond Drills USA DMC642. A kit legend or drill bag marked 642 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 642
DMC threads that pair well with 642, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Browns Family
DMC642 in context with nearby shades from the browns color family.
About DMC 642
DMC 642 (Beige Grey dark) is a medium, muted shade in the browns family with golden brown tones. With a warm and grounded quality, this thread works beautifully in coffee themes and rustic designs. You will find this color at home in patterns featuring leather accents and horse designs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DMC 642 look like?
DMC 642 (Beige Grey dark) is a medium shade in the browns family with hex #8C7D63 and RGB 140, 125, 99. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring tree trunks and earth tones.
Which Anchor thread matches DMC 642?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 642 (Beige Grey dark) is Anchor 1085 (Taupe Dark) with a 69% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 832 (Drab Brown Medium, 68%) and Anchor 855 (Avocado Medium, 68%).
What DMC colors are similar to 642?
The closest DMC threads to 642 are 3032 Mocha Brown medium (ΔE 3.47), 612 Drab Brown light (ΔE 5.03), and 3023 Brown Grey light (ΔE 6.84). These are useful substitutes when 642 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use DMC 642?
Reach for DMC 642 (Beige Grey dark) when your project calls for tree trunks, earth tones, animal fur, warm outlines. Its medium character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 642.
What fabric color works best with DMC 642 (Beige Grey dark)?
It stands out clearly on both white and dark fabric, so it is an easy, versatile choice for any ground. For reference, 642 has a contrast ratio of about 4:1 on white fabric and 5.2:1 on black. As a soft 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 642?
No. DMC 642 (Beige 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 642?
Diamond Dotz D642 and Diamond Drills USA DMC642 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 642 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 642?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Classic Colorworks Silk Eiffel Tower (93%), Crescent Colors Silk 035 Eiffel Tower (93%), Coats Rayon 54A Summer Brown (92%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.