938 — Coffee Brown ultra dark
Reds family#3D2923
Need details on DMC 938? This dark, muted red shade (Coffee Brown ultra dark) is hex #3D2923, RGB 61, 41, 35. Cross-brand equivalents in Madeira, J&P Coates, and Sullivans are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby DMC shades and color-theory harmony pairings.
About DMC 938
DMC Six-Strand Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial)
- Also sold as
- Clove
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Strands
- 6 strands
- Sold as
- 8 m skein
Brand Equivalents for DMC 938
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 938 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 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark) in any brand.
Similar DMC Colors to 938
Closest DMC threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with DMC 938
It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground.
Very dark shades like DMC 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark) are workhorses for backstitch outlines, lettering, and fine detail — the depth reads cleanly at a single strand over one.
Because DMC 3031 (Mocha Brown very dark) is so near (ΔE 2.28), the pair makes a natural two-step gradient — handy for shading skin, petals, or skies without a hard seam.
DMC 938 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 Coffee Brown ultra dark turns up.
Diamond painting: the same number is sold as a drill — Diamond Dotz D938, Diamond Drills USA DMC938. A kit legend or drill bag marked 938 means this color. See the diamond painting DMC chart for every code with drill availability.
Color Harmonies for DMC 938
DMC threads that pair well with 938, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Reds Family
DMC938 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.
About DMC 938
DMC 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark) is a dark, muted shade in the reds family with red-orange tones. With a bold and brooding quality, this thread works beautifully in valentines and poppies. You will find this color at home in patterns featuring cardinal birds and apple motifs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does DMC 938 look like?
DMC 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark) is a dark shade in the reds family with hex #3D2923 and RGB 61, 41, 35. Stitchers reach for it in projects featuring roses and hearts.
Which Anchor thread matches DMC 938?
The closest Anchor match for DMC 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark) is Anchor 1088 (Taupe Very Dark) with a 88% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include Anchor 382 (Black Brown Very Dark, 80%) and Anchor 905 (Brown Grey Dark, 72%).
What DMC colors are similar to 938?
The closest DMC threads to 938 are 3031 Mocha Brown very dark (ΔE 2.28), 838 Beige Brown very dark (ΔE 2.33), and 898 Coffee Brown very dark (ΔE 4.32). These are useful substitutes when 938 is unavailable or for building gradients.
When should I use DMC 938?
Reach for DMC 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark) when your project calls for roses, hearts, holiday designs, bold accents. Its dark character carries both small accents and wider palette work; the harmony picks on this page show natural companions to 938.
Is DMC 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark) good for backstitching and outlines?
Yes — very dark shades like 938 are among the most-used backstitch and outlining colors. Work it in a single strand over one for crisp edges, lettering, and fine detail.
Does DMC 938 come in a satin, metallic, or Étoile version?
Yes. The same number is made as DMC Étoile C938. 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 938?
Diamond Dotz D938 and Diamond Drills USA DMC938 carry the same number. Diamond painting adopted DMC's numbering, so a kit legend or drill bag marked 938 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 938?
Outside the main floss brands, the nearest shades we hold are Paternayan 1410 Earth Brown (97%), Dimensions 15478 Black Brown (93%), Eterna Silk 1100 Coffee Ultra Dark (93%). Percentages are perceptual color distance between the two swatches; anything above about 93% is hard to tell apart on fabric.