DMC Mouliné Spécial

796 — Royal Blue dark

Blues family

Looking up DMC 796? It's Royal Blue dark, a medium-dark blue shade (#242B70 / RGB 36, 43, 112). Scroll down for Crescent Colours, Anchor, and Madeira equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close DMC alternatives and curated color harmonies.

Hex
#242B70
RGB
36, 43, 112
HSL
234°, 51%, 29%
Lab
21.1, 21.2, -41.0
Lightness
29%
Dark
Saturation
51%
Rich
Hue
234°
Family
Blues

Brand Equivalents for DMC 796

Top 5 closest matches in each brand, ranked by visual color similarity. How matching works

DMC 796 Royal Blue dark

Sullivans

Royal Blue 45207 93% Good
Cornflower Blue Medium Dark 45473 89% Good
Blue Very Dark 45225 80% Good
Cornflower Blue Dark 45203 79% Approx
Blue Violet Very Dark 45066 77% Approx

Crescent Colours

Granny Annie 083 79% Approx
Nighty Nite 160 44% Fair
Blacksmith Blue 187 39% Fair
Blooming Crocus 032 23% Fair
Pansy Purple 102 23% Fair

Similar DMC Colors to 796

Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.

DMC 796 Royal Blue dark
Royal Blue very dark DMC 820 Very close ΔE 3.55 Cornflower Blue medium DMC 158 Very close ΔE 3.94 Cornflower Blue very dark DMC 791 Very close ΔE 4.14 Royal Blue DMC 797 Very close ΔE 4.84 Cornflower Blue dark DMC 792 Noticeable ΔE 6.06 Baby Blue ultra very dark DMC 803 Noticeable ΔE 6.29 Navy Blue DMC 336 Noticeable ΔE 7.21 Navy Blue medium DMC 311 Noticeable ΔE 7.55

Working with DMC 796

On white fabric
12.7:1
On dark fabric
1.7:1
Temperature
cool
Closest to
navy

It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground.

Color Harmonies for DMC 796

DMC threads that pair well with 796, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
796
3345 Hunter Green dark
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
796
550 Violet very dark 3842 Wedgewood dark
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
796
433 Brown medium 3818 Emerald Green ultra very dark
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading
796
31 Blueberry 341 Blue Violet light 3747 Blue Violet very light

Blues Family

DMC 796 in context with nearby shades from the blues color family.

796 Royal Blue dark 796 517 Wedgewood dark 517 797 Royal Blue 797 806 Peacock Blue Dark 806 825 Blue dark 825 158 Cornflower Blue medium 158 312 Navy Blue light 312 824 Blue very dark 824 930 Antique Blue dark 930 791 Cornflower Blue very dark 791 820 Royal Blue very dark 820

About DMC 796

Known as Royal Blue dark, DMC 796 is a medium-dark, vivid shade sitting in the blues family with true blue tones. Expect a intense and saturated look that suits cool-toned backgrounds, nautical themes, and similar motifs. Cross stitch enthusiasts often reach for this thread when stitching winter scenes or forget-me-nots.

Frequently Asked Questions

DMC 796 — what color is it?

The color of DMC 796 is Royal Blue dark — a medium-dark blue thread (hex #242B70, RGB 36, 43, 112). It shows up most in porcelain patterns and hydrangea blooms.

What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 796?

The closest Anchor match for DMC 796 (Royal Blue dark) is Anchor 133 (Sky Blue Very Dark) with a 70% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 177 (Cornflower Blue Dark, 68%) and Anchor 147 (Navy Blue Medium Light, 68%).

Which DMC threads are close to 796?

The closest DMC threads to 796 are 820 Royal Blue very dark (ΔE 3.55), 158 Cornflower Blue medium (ΔE 3.94), and 791 Cornflower Blue very dark (ΔE 4.14). These are useful substitutes when 796 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What is DMC 796 good for?

DMC 796 (Royal Blue dark) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring porcelain patterns, hydrangea blooms, skies, water. Its medium-dark tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 796.

What fabric color works best with DMC 796 (Royal Blue dark)?

It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground. For reference, 796 has a contrast ratio of about 12.7:1 on white fabric and 1.7:1 on black. As a cool shade, its cool cast recedes visually — useful for backgrounds, shadows, water and sky, and calm, restful palettes.

DMC Color Chart DMC ↔ Anchor Conversion