Anchor 401 Gray Dark
On screen, Anchor 401 Gray Dark reads as a dark gray (#3e3a41). DMC has no exact twin: its nearest is DMC 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark at ΔE 5.9 (close), while Madeira offers Madeira 1809 Shell Gray Very Dark at ΔE 6.9 (similar).
Updated
Anchor stranded cotton
Anchor 401 Gray Dark
#3e3a41 · RGB 62, 58, 65
Closest to Anchor 401 in other brands
- DMC 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark ΔE 5.9 close
- Madeira 1809 Shell Gray Very Dark ΔE 6.9 similar
- Perler Black ΔE 5.2 close
- Hama 62 Silver ΔE 5.2 close
- Artkal S S158 Pepper ΔE 5.7 close
- Nabbi N01 Black ΔE 5.1 close
Anchor 401 color values
| Code | 401 |
|---|---|
| Name | Gray Dark |
| Hex (screen) | #3e3a41 |
| RGB | 62, 58, 65 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 25.1, a* 3.3, b* -3.7 |
| HSL | 274°, 6 %, 24 % |
| Color family | Gray, 19 of 21 lightest first |
| Lightness | dark (L* 25.1) |
| Nearest DMC | DMC 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark, ΔE 5.9 |
Anchor 401 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of Anchor 401: the best is DMC 3799 at ΔE 5.9.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMC | 3799 | Pewter Gray Very Dark | 5.9 | close |
| DMC | 844 | Beaver Gray Ultra Dark | 6.9 | similar |
| DMC | 413 | Pewter Gray Dark | 10.5 | loose |
| Madeira | 1809 | Shell Gray Very Dark | 6.9 | similar |
| Madeira | 1506 | Fern Green Very Dark | 8.9 | similar |
| Madeira | 1810 | Shell Gray Ultra Very Dark | 9.5 | similar |
| Perler | Black | code 80-19018 | 5.2 | close |
| Perler | Cocoa | code 80-15262 | 8.9 | similar |
| Hama | 62 | Silver | 5.2 | close |
| Hama | 63 | Bronze | 8.3 | similar |
| Artkal S | S158 | Pepper | 5.7 | close |
| Artkal S | S69 | Mine Shaft | 6.3 | similar |
| Nabbi | N01 | Black | 5.1 | close |
| Nabbi | N02 | Dark Brown | 10.3 | loose |
Anchor shades closest to Anchor 401
No other Anchor color comes within ΔE 3 of Anchor 401; the nearest, Anchor 236 Charcoal Gray Dark, sits at ΔE 3.0.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 236 | Charcoal Gray Dark | #353237 | 3.0 | a little darker |
| 400 | Gray Medium | #58565a | 9.6 | lighter and slightly more muted |
| 1035 | Antique Blue Dark | #2d3f54 | 10.7 | more saturated |
| 1041 | Stone Gray Very Dark | #3c362b | 11.3 | a little darker and slightly more saturated |
| 1088 | Mocha Brown Very Dark | #3d2c23 | 11.5 | darker and slightly more saturated |
| 1036 | Antique Blue Very Dark | #233856 | 12.5 | a little darker and more saturated |
| 873 | Amethyst Dark | #583147 | 14.4 | more saturated |
| 1086 | Mocha Brown Dark | #5c4636 | 14.6 | lighter and more saturated |
Shading Anchor 401: lighter and darker gray steps
4 lighter steps and 2 darker steps from the Anchor gray family, L* from 61 to 21.
Blends that stitch up close to Anchor 401
One strand each of Anchor 150 and Anchor 273 models at ΔE 1.5, closer than any single Anchor shade (best single: Anchor 236, ΔE 3.0).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to Anchor 401 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × Anchor 150 Delft Blue Dark + 1 × Anchor 273 Stone Gray Dark | #3f3c41 | 1.5 |
| 1 × Anchor 400 Gray Medium + 1 × Anchor 152 Delft Blue Very Dark | #403f49 | 2.6 |
| 1 × Anchor 1036 Antique Blue Very Dark + 1 × Anchor 1086 Mocha Brown Dark | #463f48 | 2.7 |
Outline and backstitch colors for Anchor 401
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #3e3a41; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
| Role | Color | Name | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonal outline (gray) | 158 | Sapphire Very Light | 8.7:1 |
| Strongest contrast | 1 | Snow White | 10.8:1 |
| Softer gray or brown line | 849 | Blue Mist Medium Light | 4.6:1 |
Stitching with Anchor 401
Substituting Anchor 401 takes care: DMC 3799 is a little lighter and slightly more muted (ΔE 5.9), and Madeira 1809 is lighter (ΔE 6.9). Stitch a small test on your fabric before you commit a whole area.
Anchor 401 is number 19 of 21 in the Anchor gray family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to Anchor 400 Gray Medium and down to Anchor 1041 Stone Gray Very Dark. No other Anchor shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
Anchor 401 stands out on white or cream fabric (contrast 11.1:1 against white) and nearly vanishes on black Aida (1.9:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Black (ΔE 5.2), Hama 62 Silver (ΔE 5.2) and Artkal S S158 Pepper (ΔE 5.7); beads come in fewer shades than Anchor, so expect a close match at best.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 401?
DMC 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark is the closest DMC match to Anchor 401 Gray Dark (ΔE 5.9, close). Runners-up: DMC 844 (ΔE 6.9) and DMC 413 (ΔE 10.5).
What color is Anchor 401?
Anchor 401 Gray Dark is a dark gray in the gray family: hex #3e3a41, RGB 62, 58, 65, L* 25.1. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of Anchor 401?
Inside Anchor, Anchor 236 Charcoal Gray Dark is nearest (ΔE 3.0). From other brands, DMC 3799 (ΔE 5.9) or Madeira 1809 (ΔE 6.9). A 1+1 blend of Anchor 150 and Anchor 273 models at ΔE 1.5.
What is Anchor 401 in Perler beads?
Perler Black (#323234) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 5.2 (close). In Hama the nearest is Hama 62 Silver (ΔE 5.2).
What is the Madeira equivalent of Anchor 401?
Madeira 1809 Shell Gray Very Dark at ΔE 6.9 (similar), then Madeira 1506 at ΔE 8.9.
Related
Nearest Anchor colors
- Anchor 400 Gray Medium ΔE 9.6
- Anchor 1041 Stone Gray Very Dark ΔE 11.3
- Anchor 1088 Mocha Brown Very Dark ΔE 11.5
- Anchor 1036 Antique Blue Very Dark ΔE 12.5
- Anchor 1086 Mocha Brown Dark ΔE 14.6
Anchor 401 in other brands
- Madeira 1809 Shell Gray Very Dark ΔE 6.9
- Perler Black ΔE 5.2
- Hama 62 Silver ΔE 5.2
- Artkal S S158 Pepper ΔE 5.7
- Nabbi N01 Black ΔE 5.1