817 — Coral Red very dark
Reds family#A60D1B
DMC 817 — Coral Red very dark — has hex #A60D1B and RGB 166, 13, 27. This medium-dark, highly saturated red thread sits alongside its closest Classic Colorworks, Weeks Dye Works, and Gentle Art Sampler matches below, with 8 similar DMC shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.
About DMC 817
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Japanese Red
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 817
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 817 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 817 (Coral Red very dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 817
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 817
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
DMC 817 (Coral Red very dark) 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.
DMC 817 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 Coral Red very dark turns up.
DMC 817 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 817.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D817, Diamond Drills USA DMC817. A kit legend or drill bag marked 817 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 817
DMC threads that pair well with 817, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Reds Family
DMC817 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.
About DMC 817
Coral Red very dark (catalog code DMC 817) is a medium-dark, highly saturated shade from the reds family with warm crimson tones. It has a strong and rich feel that suits hearts and holiday designs particularly well. Designers often pair this shade with bold accents or berries for balanced palettes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is DMC 817?
DMC 817 is called Coral Red very dark. It's a medium-dark red shade (hex #A60D1B, RGB 166, 13, 27) in the reds family, commonly used for apple motifs, ladybug designs, and similar motifs.
What's the closest Anchor match for DMC 817?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 817 (Coral Red very dark) is Anchor 1006 (Dusty Rose Very Dark) with a 89% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 1014 (Mahogany Very Dark, 88%) and Anchor 1005 (Christmas Red Ultra Very Dark, 82%).
What's a good substitute for DMC 817?
The closest DMC threads to 817 are 321 Christmas Red (ΔE 3.24), 919 Red Copper (ΔE 4.51), and 22 Alizarin (ΔE 4.91). These are useful substitutes when 817 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use DMC 817?
Cross-stitchers pull DMC 817 (Coral Red very dark) for charts featuring apple motifs, ladybug designs, barn scenes, tomato patterns. The medium-dark 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 817 (Coral Red very dark)?
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, 817 has a contrast ratio of about 7.8:1 on white fabric and 2.7:1 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 817?
No. DMC 817 (Coral Red very 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 817?
Diamond Dotz D817 and Diamond Drills USA DMC817 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 817 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 817?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are The Gentle Art Simply Wool 0390 Buckeye Scarlet (95%), ThreadworX 10421 Stepping Stone (94%), Paternayan 1972 Christmas Red (94%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.