DMC Mouliné Spécial

838 — Beige Brown very dark

Reds family

Below: DMC 838 (Beige Brown very dark), a dark, muted red shade with hex #453029 and RGB 69, 48, 41. Find its closest J&P Coates, Sullivans, and Cosmo matches ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 similar DMC shades and a full set of color harmony picks.

Hex
#453029
RGB
69, 48, 41
HSL
15°, 25%, 22%
Lab
22.1, 8.5, 8.3
Lightness
22%
Dark
Saturation
25%
Muted
Hue
15°
Family
Reds

Brand Equivalents for DMC 838

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

DMC 838 Beige Brown very dark

Sullivans

Mocha Brown Dark 45393 84% Good
Beige Brown Dark 45237 83% Good
Cocoa Dark 45493 71% Approx
Mocha Brown Very Dark 45323 66% Approx
Beige Brown Very Dark 45236 65% Approx

Crescent Colours

Cappuccino 007 68% Approx
Wisconsin Woods 114 64% Fair
Chocolate Cream Pie 009 56% Fair
Black Coffee 004 50% Fair
Rod and Reel 116 41% Fair

Similar DMC Colors to 838

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

DMC 838 Beige Brown very dark
Mocha Brown very dark DMC 3031 Near identical ΔE 1.53 Coffee Brown ultra dark DMC 938 Near identical ΔE 2.33 Coffee Brown very dark DMC 898 Very close ΔE 3.32 Very Dark Cocoa DMC 09 Very close ΔE 4.56 Beige Brown dark DMC 839 Very close ΔE 4.57 Brown Grey very dark DMC 3021 Very close ΔE 4.95 Cocoa dark DMC 779 Close ΔE 5.28 Mocha Brown dark DMC 3781 Noticeable ΔE 6.18

Working with DMC 838

On white fabric
12.3:1
On dark fabric
1.7:1
Temperature
soft warm
Closest to
charcoal

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

Blending & gradients

Because DMC 3031 (Mocha Brown very dark) is so near (ΔE 1.53), the pair makes a natural two-step gradient — handy for shading skin, petals, or skies without a hard seam.

Color Harmonies for DMC 838

DMC threads that pair well with 838, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
838
924 Grey Green very dark
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
838
3021 Brown Grey very dark 779 Cocoa dark
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
838
500 Blue Green very dark 3750 Antique Blue very dark
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading
838
07 Driftwood 06 Medium Light Driftwood 819 Baby Pink light

Reds Family

DMC 838 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.

838 Beige Brown very dark 838 09 Very Dark Cocoa 09 815 Garnet medium 815 902 Garnet very dark 902 3857 Rosewood dark 3857 814 Garnet dark 814 938 Coffee Brown ultra dark 938

About DMC 838

DMC 838 is the floss known as Beige Brown very dark: a muted, dark member of the reds family with red-orange tones. The bold and brooding character of this shade lends itself well to apple motifs and ladybug designs. Stitchers frequently choose it for barn scenes and tomato patterns in their projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does DMC 838 look like?

DMC 838 (Beige Brown very dark) is a dark shade in the reds family with hex #453029 and RGB 69, 48, 41. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring bold accents and berries.

Which Anchor thread matches DMC 838?

The closest Anchor match for DMC 838 (Beige Brown very dark) is Anchor 936 (Dusty Flesh Very Dark) with a 82% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 1086 (Taupe Medium Dark, 77%) and Anchor 905 (Brown Grey Dark, 69%).

What DMC colors are similar to 838?

The closest DMC threads to 838 are 3031 Mocha Brown very dark (ΔE 1.53), 938 Coffee Brown ultra dark (ΔE 2.33), and 898 Coffee Brown very dark (ΔE 3.32). These are useful substitutes when 838 is unavailable or for building gradients.

When should I use DMC 838?

Reach for DMC 838 (Beige Brown very dark) when your project calls for bold accents, berries, valentines, poppies. Its dark character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 838.

What fabric color works best with DMC 838 (Beige Brown very dark)?

It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground. For reference, 838 has a contrast ratio of about 12.3:1 on white fabric and 1.7:1 on black. As a soft warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.

DMC Color Chart DMC ↔ Anchor Conversion