143 — Mother Goose Medium
Reds family#A08384
Below: Valdani 143 (Mother Goose Medium), a medium-light, subdued red shade with hex #A08384 and RGB 160, 131, 132. Find its closest Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art Sampler, and Crescent Colors matches ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 similar Valdani shades and a full set of color harmony picks.
Brand Equivalents for Valdani 143
The five closest matches in each brand, ranked by CIEDE2000 perceptual color difference.
DMC
Anchor
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Crescent Colors
Similar Valdani Colors to 143
Closest Valdani threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Valdani 143
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Hand-dyed threads like Valdani 143 (Mother Goose Medium) are never perfectly flat; expect soft variegation. Stock up in a single dye lot up front, since later batches can read noticeably different.
Color Harmonies for Valdani 143
Valdani threads that pair well with 143, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Reds Family
Valdani143 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.
About Valdani 143
Known as Mother Goose Medium, Valdani 143 is a medium-light, subdued shade sitting in the reds family with warm crimson tones. The restrained and versatile mood of this color makes it a natural fit for ladybug designs and barn scenes. Expect to see it used in tomato patterns and roses across many cross-stitch charts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Valdani 143 — what color is it?
The color of Valdani 143 is Mother Goose Medium — a medium-light red thread (hex #A08384, RGB 160, 131, 132). It shows up most in berries and valentines.
What is the DMC equivalent of Valdani 143?
The closest DMC match for Valdani 143 (Mother Goose Medium) is DMC 452 (Shell Grey medium) with a 80% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 3042 (Antique Violet light, 64%) and DMC 3861 (Cocoa light, 57%).
Which Valdani threads are close to 143?
The closest Valdani threads to 143 are O542 Vintage Lavender (ΔE 5.64), S302 Blue Leopard (ΔE 5.67), and O512 Chimney Dust (ΔE 6.03). These are useful substitutes when 143 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Valdani 143 good for?
Valdani 143 (Mother Goose Medium) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring berries, valentines, poppies, cardinal birds. Its medium-light tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 143.
Does Valdani 143 (Mother Goose Medium) vary between dye lots?
Some. As a hand-dyed floss, 143 shifts subtly skein to skein — that gentle variegation is the appeal. Buy enough for a project in one dye lot and stitch in a random order to blend any variation.