721 — Orange Spice medium
Reds family#F25C2C
DMC 721 (Orange Spice medium) is a medium-light, highly saturated red shade with hex code #F25C2C and RGB values 242, 92, 44. Below you'll find the closest Sullivans, Cosmo, and Classic Colorworks equivalents — ranked by visual color similarity — plus 8 similar DMC shades and color harmony pairings.
About DMC 721
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Papaya
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 721
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 721 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 721 (Orange Spice medium) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 721
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 721
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 721 (Orange Spice medium) is vivid enough to carry a focal point; use it sparingly for accents so it stays the star rather than competing across the whole piece.
Its nearest neighbor, DMC 947 (Burnt Orange), is barely a step away (ΔE 2.99). Tweed the two together for subtle shading, or substitute freely when one is out of stock.
DMC 721 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 Orange Spice medium turns up.
DMC 721 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 721.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D721, Diamond Drills USA DMC721. A kit legend or drill bag marked 721 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 721
DMC threads that pair well with 721, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Reds Family
DMC721 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.
About DMC 721
Orange Spice medium (catalog code DMC 721) is a medium-light, highly saturated shade from the reds family with red-orange tones. This thread brings a fresh and confident presence to projects featuring cardinal birds or apple motifs. Look for it in charts that feature ladybug designs or barn scenes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is DMC 721?
DMC 721 is called Orange Spice medium. It's a medium-light red shade (hex #F25C2C, RGB 242, 92, 44) in the reds family, commonly used for holiday designs, bold accents, and similar motifs.
What's the closest Anchor match for DMC 721?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 721 (Orange Spice medium) is Anchor 332 (Orange Dark) with a 93% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 330 (Orange, 93%) and Anchor 925 (Yellow Green Very Dark, 86%).
What's a good substitute for DMC 721?
The closest DMC threads to 721 are 947 Burnt Orange (ΔE 2.99), 970 Pumpkin light (ΔE 4.4), and 608 Burnt Orange (ΔE 4.75). These are useful substitutes when 721 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use DMC 721?
Cross-stitchers pull DMC 721 (Orange Spice medium) for charts featuring holiday designs, bold accents, berries, valentines. The medium-light tone reads cleanly on its own and slots into multi-color palettes — see the color harmonies below for pairing ideas.
What fabric color works best with DMC 721 (Orange Spice 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, 721 has a contrast ratio of about 3.3:1 on white fabric and 6.3:1 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 721?
No. DMC 721 (Orange Spice 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 721?
Diamond Dotz D721 and Diamond Drills USA DMC721 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 721 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 721?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Vineyard Silk 220 Orange Burst (95%), Bella Lusso 0850 Cayenne (94%), Luca-S 388 (93%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.