738 — Tan very light
Oranges family#D5A978
DMC 738 (Tan very light) is a medium-light, vivid orange shade with hex code #D5A978 and RGB values 213, 169, 120. 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 738
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Sahara
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 738
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 738 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 738 (Tan very light) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 738
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 738
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Its warm mid-tone sits in the skin-tone range, so DMC 738 (Tan very light) turns up in portraits, figures, and faces — usually blended with a lighter and a darker neighbor for shading.
DMC 738 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 Tan very light turns up.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D738, Diamond Drills USA DMC738. A kit legend or drill bag marked 738 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 738
DMC threads that pair well with 738, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Oranges Family
DMC738 in context with nearby shades from the oranges color family.
About DMC 738
DMC 738 (Tan very light) is a medium-light, vivid shade in the oranges family with warm tangerine tones. This thread brings a balanced and lively presence to projects featuring persimmon patterns or autumn leaves. Look for it in charts that feature sunsets or warm accents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DMC 738 look like?
DMC 738 (Tan very light) is a medium-light shade in the oranges family with hex #D5A978 and RGB 213, 169, 120. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring fall wreaths and citrus motifs.
Which Anchor thread matches DMC 738?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 738 (Tan very light) is Anchor 372 (Tan) with a 87% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 362 (Tan Medium Light, 84%) and Anchor 945 (Yellow Green Very Light, 81%).
What DMC colors are similar to 738?
The closest DMC threads to 738 are 437 Tan light (ΔE 4.01), 3856 Mahogany ultra very light (ΔE 5.58), and 676 Old Gold light (ΔE 6.24). These are useful substitutes when 738 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use DMC 738?
Reach for DMC 738 (Tan very light) when your project calls for fall wreaths, citrus motifs, fox designs, fall harvest scenes. Its medium-light character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 738.
What fabric color works best with DMC 738 (Tan very 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, 738 has a contrast ratio of about 2.1:1 on white fabric and 9.8:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.
Does DMC 738 come in a satin, metallic, or Étoile version?
Yes. The same number is made as DMC Satin S738, DMC Étoile C738. 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 738?
Diamond Dotz D738 and Diamond Drills USA DMC738 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 738 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 738?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Kimono Silk 301 Ichiban (100%), Vineyard Merino 1189 Pale Honey (98%), Eterna Silk 1020 Tan Light (95%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.