O501 — Ebony Almond
Reds family#201817
Valdani O501 — Ebony Almond — has hex #201817 and RGB 32, 24, 23. This very dark, muted red thread sits alongside its closest DMC, Anchor, and Madeira matches below, with 8 similar Valdani shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.
Brand Equivalents for Valdani O501
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 O501
Closest Valdani threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Valdani O501
It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground.
Valdani O501 (Ebony Almond) is dark enough to define edges: stitchers reach for shades like it when a design needs crisp backstitch outlines or readable text.
Hand-dyed threads like Valdani O501 (Ebony Almond) 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 O501
Valdani threads that pair well with O501, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Reds Family
ValdaniO501 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.
About Valdani O501
Meet Valdani O501, Ebony Almond — a muted, very dark thread in the reds family with true red tones. Its tone is somber and commanding, making it a popular choice for poppies and cardinal birds. It pairs nicely in designs that call for apple motifs or ladybug designs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Valdani O501 — what color is it?
The color of Valdani O501 is Ebony Almond — a very dark red thread (hex #201817, RGB 32, 24, 23). It shows up most in hearts and holiday designs.
What is the DMC equivalent of Valdani O501?
The closest DMC match for Valdani O501 (Ebony Almond) is DMC 3371 (Black Brown) with a 80% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 310 (Black, 68%) and DMC 938 (Coffee Brown ultra dark, 56%).
Which Valdani threads are close to O501?
The closest Valdani threads to O501 are 8123 Brown Black Dark (ΔE 5.22), 8111 Black Light (ΔE 6.24), and 8113 Black Dark (ΔE 6.48). These are useful substitutes when O501 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Valdani O501 good for?
Valdani O501 (Ebony Almond) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring hearts, holiday designs, bold accents, berries. Its very dark tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with O501.
Is Valdani O501 (Ebony Almond) good for backstitching and outlines?
It's an excellent outline color. The depth of O501 defines edges and text cleanly where lighter threads would disappear into the fill; one strand is usually enough for backstitch.