Anchor 400 Gray Medium
Anchor 400 Gray Medium (#58565a) is a dark gray. DMC has no exact twin: its nearest is DMC 413 Pewter Gray Dark at ΔE 3.0 (close), while Madeira offers Madeira 1801 Steel Gray Medium at ΔE 7.4 (similar).
Updated
Anchor stranded cotton
Anchor 400 Gray Medium
#58565a · RGB 88, 86, 90
Closest to Anchor 400 in other brands
- DMC 413 Pewter Gray Dark ΔE 3.0 close
- Madeira 1801 Steel Gray Medium ΔE 7.4 similar
- Perler Dark Grey ΔE 3.8 close
- Hama 62 Silver ΔE 5.3 close
- Artkal S S89 Charcoal Gray ΔE 3.7 close
- Nabbi N01 Black ΔE 9.3 similar
Anchor 400 color values
| Code | 400 |
|---|---|
| Name | Gray Medium |
| Hex (screen) | #58565a |
| RGB | 88, 86, 90 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 36.9, a* 1.7, b* -2.0 |
| HSL | 270°, 2 %, 35 % |
| Color family | Gray, 18 of 21 lightest first |
| Lightness | dark (L* 36.9) |
| Nearest DMC | DMC 413 Pewter Gray Dark, ΔE 3.0 |
Anchor 400 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of Anchor 400: the best is DMC 413 at ΔE 3.0.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMC | 413 | Pewter Gray Dark | 3.0 | close |
| DMC | 844 | Beaver Gray Ultra Dark | 5.9 | close |
| DMC | 3799 | Pewter Gray Very Dark | 7.7 | similar |
| Madeira | 1801 | Steel Gray Medium | 7.4 | similar |
| Madeira | 1809 | Shell Gray Very Dark | 7.4 | similar |
| Madeira | 1714 | Steel Gray Dark | 7.8 | similar |
| Perler | Dark Grey | code 80-19092 | 3.8 | close |
| Perler | Charcoal | code 80-15207 | 7.4 | similar |
| Hama | 62 | Silver | 5.3 | close |
| Hama | 71 | Dark Grey | 7.7 | similar |
| Artkal S | S89 | Charcoal Gray | 3.7 | close |
| Artkal S | S157 | Iron Grey | 4.6 | close |
| Nabbi | N01 | Black | 9.3 | similar |
| Nabbi | N02 | Dark Brown | 10.2 | loose |
Anchor shades closest to Anchor 400
No other Anchor color comes within ΔE 3 of Anchor 400; the nearest, Anchor 401 Gray Dark, sits at ΔE 9.6.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | Gray Dark | #3e3a41 | 9.6 | darker and slightly more saturated |
| 235 | Charcoal Gray Medium | #6f7177 | 10.1 | lighter |
| 922 | Denim Dark | #41596a | 11.3 | more saturated |
| 236 | Charcoal Gray Dark | #353237 | 12.0 | much darker |
| 273 | Stone Gray Dark | #554d3a | 12.9 | a little darker and more saturated |
| 233 | Rose Gray | #826e6d | 13.3 | lighter and slightly more saturated |
| 1035 | Antique Blue Dark | #2d3f54 | 13.5 | darker and more saturated |
| 1086 | Mocha Brown Dark | #5c4636 | 13.6 | darker and more saturated |
Shading Anchor 400: lighter and darker gray steps
4 lighter steps and 3 darker steps from the Anchor gray family, L* from 64 to 21.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 232 | Rose Gray Medium | 63.9 |
| 3 lighter | 399 | Gray Medium Light | 60.6 |
| 2 lighter | 850 | Blue Mist Medium | 56.6 |
| 1 lighter | 235 | Charcoal Gray Medium | 47.7 |
| this color | 400 | Gray Medium | 36.9 |
| 1 darker | 401 | Gray Dark | 25.1 |
| 2 darker | 1041 | Stone Gray Very Dark | 22.9 |
| 3 darker | 236 | Charcoal Gray Dark | 21.3 |
Blends that stitch up close to Anchor 400
One strand each of Anchor 235 and Anchor 1088 models at ΔE 1.3, closer than any single Anchor shade (best single: Anchor 401, ΔE 9.6).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to Anchor 400 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × Anchor 235 Charcoal Gray Medium + 1 × Anchor 1088 Mocha Brown Very Dark | #5a5759 | 1.3 |
| 1 × Anchor 235 Charcoal Gray Medium + 1 × Anchor 236 Charcoal Gray Dark | #58585e | 1.6 |
| 1 × Anchor 235 Charcoal Gray Medium + 1 × Anchor 1041 Stone Gray Very Dark | #5a595b | 1.7 |
Outline and backstitch colors for Anchor 400
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #58565a; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
| Role | Color | Name | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonal outline (gray) | 158 | Sapphire Very Light | 5.7:1 |
| Strongest contrast | 1 | Snow White | 7.1:1 |
| Softer gray or brown line | 274 | Blue Mist Light | 4.6:1 |
Working with Anchor 400
Substituting Anchor 400 takes care: DMC 413 is slightly more muted (ΔE 3.0), and Madeira 1801 is lighter and slightly more saturated (ΔE 7.4). Stitch a small test on your fabric before you commit a whole area.
Anchor 400 is number 18 of 21 in the Anchor gray family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to Anchor 235 Charcoal Gray Medium and down to Anchor 401 Gray Dark. No other Anchor shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
Anchor 400 stands out on white or cream fabric (contrast 7.3:1 against white) and turns subtle on black Aida (2.9:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Dark Grey (ΔE 3.8), Hama 62 Silver (ΔE 5.3) and Artkal S S89 Charcoal Gray (ΔE 3.7); beads come in fewer shades than Anchor, so expect a close match at best.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 400?
DMC 413 Pewter Gray Dark is the closest DMC match to Anchor 400 Gray Medium (ΔE 3.0, close). Runners-up: DMC 844 (ΔE 5.9) and DMC 3799 (ΔE 7.7).
What color is Anchor 400?
Anchor 400 Gray Medium is a dark gray in the gray family: hex #58565a, RGB 88, 86, 90, L* 36.9. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of Anchor 400?
Inside Anchor, Anchor 401 Gray Dark is nearest (ΔE 9.6). From other brands, DMC 413 (ΔE 3.0) or Madeira 1801 (ΔE 7.4). A 1+1 blend of Anchor 235 and Anchor 1088 models at ΔE 1.3.
What is Anchor 400 in Perler beads?
Perler Dark Grey (#585c61) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 3.8 (close). In Hama the nearest is Hama 62 Silver (ΔE 5.3).
What is the Madeira equivalent of Anchor 400?
Madeira 1801 Steel Gray Medium at ΔE 7.4 (similar), then Madeira 1809 at ΔE 7.4.
Related
Nearest Anchor colors
- Anchor 401 Gray Dark ΔE 9.6
- Anchor 235 Charcoal Gray Medium ΔE 10.1
- Anchor 922 Denim Dark ΔE 11.3
- Anchor 273 Stone Gray Dark ΔE 12.9
- Anchor 1086 Mocha Brown Dark ΔE 13.6
Anchor 400 in other brands
- DMC 413 Pewter Gray Dark ΔE 3.0
- Madeira 1801 Steel Gray Medium ΔE 7.4
- Perler Dark Grey ΔE 3.8
- Hama 62 Silver ΔE 5.3
- Artkal S S89 Charcoal Gray ΔE 3.7
- Nabbi N01 Black ΔE 9.3