J&P Coates Embroidery Floss

5388 — Tawny Light

Browns family

Need details on J&P Coates 5388? This medium-light, moderately saturated brown shade (Tawny Light) is hex #CEAF90, RGB 206, 175, 144. Cross-brand equivalents in Anchor, Madeira, and Sullivans are listed below — ranked by perceptual similarity — alongside 8 nearby J&P Coates shades and color-theory harmony pairings.

Hex
#CEAF90
RGB
206, 175, 144
HSL
30°, 39%, 69%
Lab
73.4, 6.6, 20.1
Lightness
69%
Light
Saturation
39%
Muted
Hue
30°
Family
Browns

Brand Equivalents for J&P Coates 5388

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

J&P Coates 5388 Tawny Light

Sullivans

Tan Very Light 45179 69% Approx
Mocha Brown Very Light 45325 67% Approx
Tawny Medium 45283 67% Approx
Beige Brown Ultra Very Light 45122 65% Approx
Yellow Beige Medium 45329 64% Fair

Crescent Colours

Antique Lace 125 81% Good
Perfect Piecrust 147 79% Approx
Bamboo 003 76% Approx
Wild Oats 060 73% Approx
Ripple 086 71% Approx

Similar J&P Coates Colors to 5388

Closest J&P Coates threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.

Working with J&P Coates 5388

On white fabric
2.1:1
On dark fabric
10.2:1
Temperature
warm
Closest to
tan

It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.

Skin tones & portraits

For skin, hands, and faces, J&P Coates 5388 (Tawny Light) is a plausible mid-value — pair it with a highlight and a shadow tone from the same family for believable modeling.

Color Harmonies for J&P Coates 5388

J&P Coates threads that pair well with 5388, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading

Browns Family

J&P Coates 5388 in context with nearby shades from the browns color family.

About J&P Coates 5388

Tawny Light (catalog code J&P Coates 5388) is a medium-light, moderately saturated shade from the browns family with earthy sienna tones. With a steady and approachable quality, this thread works beautifully in earth tones and animal fur. You will find this color at home in patterns featuring warm outlines and wooden textures.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color is J&P Coates 5388?

J&P Coates 5388 is called Tawny Light. It's a medium-light brown shade (hex #CEAF90, RGB 206, 175, 144) in the browns family, commonly used for horse designs, cinnamon motifs, and similar motifs.

What's the closest DMC match for J&P Coates 5388?

The closest DMC match for J&P Coates 5388 (Tawny Light) is DMC 3033 (Mocha Brown very light) with a 75% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 842 (Beige Brown very light, 74%) and DMC 738 (Tan very light, 73%).

What's a good substitute for J&P Coates 5388?

The closest J&P Coates threads to 5388 are 6315 Laurel Green Light (ΔE 3.42), 2410 Sand Stone Medium Light (ΔE 7.72), and 8232 Rose Grey Medium (ΔE 8.53). These are useful substitutes when 5388 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What projects use J&P Coates 5388?

Cross-stitchers pull J&P Coates 5388 (Tawny Light) for charts featuring horse designs, cinnamon motifs, bark patterns, gingerbread themes. The medium-light 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 J&P Coates 5388 (Tawny 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, 5388 has a contrast ratio of about 2.1:1 on white fabric and 10.2:1 on black. As a warm shade, its warm cast advances toward the viewer — good for focal points, highlights, and cozy, inviting palettes.