DMC 523 Fern Green Light
DMC 523 Fern Green Light (#abb197) is a light, muted green. The closest Anchor thread is Anchor 858 Laurel Green Light, very close at ΔE 2.8; in Madeira, use Madeira 1701 Sea Foam Green Light (ΔE 4.5, close).
Updated
DMC stranded cotton
DMC 523 Fern Green Light
#abb197 · RGB 171, 177, 151
Closest to DMC 523 in other brands
- Anchor 858 Laurel Green Light ΔE 2.8 very close
- Madeira 1701 Sea Foam Green Light ΔE 4.5 close
- Perler Sage ΔE 4.5 close
- Hama 101 Eucalyptus ΔE 8.1 similar
- Artkal S S113 Khaki ΔE 7.2 similar
- Nabbi N08 Ash ΔE 13.0 loose
DMC 523 color values
| Code | 523 |
|---|---|
| Name | Fern Green Light |
| Hex (screen) | #abb197 |
| RGB | 171, 177, 151 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 71.1, a* -6.8, b* 12.6 |
| HSL | 74°, 14 %, 64 % |
| Color family | Green, 25 of 75 lightest first |
| Lightness | light (L* 71.1) |
| DMC color card | row 11-19 |
| Nearest Anchor | Anchor 858 Laurel Green Light, ΔE 2.8 |
DMC 523 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of DMC 523: the best is Anchor 858 at ΔE 2.8.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchor | 858 | Laurel Green Light | 2.8 | very close |
| Anchor | 900 | Pewter Light | 3.9 | close |
| Anchor | 213 | Juniper Very Light | 7.9 | similar |
| Madeira | 1701 | Sea Foam Green Light | 4.5 | close |
| Madeira | 1511 | Gray Green Very Light | 5.5 | close |
| Madeira | 1512 | Gray Green Light | 5.7 | close |
| Perler | Sage | code 80-15254 | 4.5 | close |
| Perler | Pewter | code 80-15206 | 10.2 | loose |
| Hama | 101 | Eucalyptus | 8.1 | similar |
| Hama | 77 | Cloudy White | 11.2 | loose |
| Artkal S | S113 | Khaki | 7.2 | similar |
| Artkal S | SG1 | Glow Yellow | 9.9 | similar |
| Nabbi | N08 | Ash | 13.0 | loose |
| Nabbi | N06 | Tan | 15.4 | loose |
DMC shades closest to DMC 523
No other DMC color comes within ΔE 3 of DMC 523; the nearest, DMC 3053 Green Gray, sits at ΔE 4.9.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3053 | Green Gray | #9ca482 | 4.9 | darker and slightly more saturated |
| 522 | Fern Green | #969e7e | 6.3 | darker and slightly more saturated |
| 3023 | Brown Gray Light | #b1aa97 | 7.0 | slightly more muted |
| 524 | Fern Green Very Light | #c4cdac | 7.5 | lighter and slightly more saturated |
| 3013 | Khaki Green Light | #b9b982 | 8.4 | a little lighter and more saturated |
| 368 | Pistachio Green Light | #a6c298 | 8.5 | a little lighter and more saturated |
| 989 | Forest Green | #8da675 | 9.7 | darker and more saturated |
| 3022 | Brown Gray Medium | #8e9078 | 10.1 | much darker |
Shading DMC 523: lighter and darker green steps
4 lighter steps and 4 darker steps from the DMC green family, L* from 85 to 59.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 3348 | Yellow Green Light | 84.8 |
| 3 lighter | 164 | Forest Green Light | 84.4 |
| 2 lighter | 524 | Fern Green Very Light | 80.9 |
| 1 lighter | 368 | Pistachio Green Light | 75.4 |
| this color | 523 | Fern Green Light | 71.1 |
| 1 darker | 3053 | Green Gray | 65.9 |
| 2 darker | 989 | Forest Green | 65.1 |
| 3 darker | 522 | Fern Green | 63.7 |
| 4 darker | 3052 | Green Gray Medium | 58.8 |
Blends that stitch up close to DMC 523
One strand each of DMC 503 and DMC 3864 models at ΔE 0.9, closer than any single DMC shade (best single: DMC 3053, ΔE 4.9).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to DMC 523 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × DMC 503 Blue Green Medium + 1 × DMC 3864 Mocha Beige Light | #a9b198 | 0.9 |
| 1 × DMC 524 Fern Green Very Light + 1 × DMC 3022 Brown Gray Medium | #acb295 | 1.0 |
| 1 × DMC 989 Forest Green + 1 × DMC 648 Beaver Gray Light | #a7ad94 | 1.2 |
Outline and backstitch colors for DMC 523
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #abb197; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
Working with DMC 523
Anchor 858 is the practical Anchor substitute for DMC 523. It is a little darker and slightly more saturated, a ΔE of 2.8 that shows only side by side, so keep to one brand inside a single shaded area.
DMC 523 is number 25 of 75 in the DMC green family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to DMC 368 Pistachio Green Light and down to DMC 3053 Green Gray. No other DMC shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
DMC 523 glows on black or navy Aida (contrast 9.5:1 against black) but turns subtle on white fabric (2.2:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Sage (ΔE 4.5), Hama 101 Eucalyptus (ΔE 8.1) and Artkal S S113 Khaki (ΔE 7.2); beads come in fewer shades than DMC, so expect a close match at best.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 523?
Anchor 858 Laurel Green Light is the closest Anchor match to DMC 523 Fern Green Light (ΔE 2.8, very close). Runners-up: Anchor 900 (ΔE 3.9) and Anchor 213 (ΔE 7.9).
What color is DMC 523?
DMC 523 Fern Green Light is a light, muted green in the green family: hex #abb197, RGB 171, 177, 151, L* 71.1. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of DMC 523?
Inside DMC, DMC 3053 Green Gray is nearest (ΔE 4.9). From other brands, Anchor 858 (ΔE 2.8) or Madeira 1701 (ΔE 4.5). A 1+1 blend of DMC 503 and DMC 3864 models at ΔE 0.9.
What is DMC 523 in Perler beads?
Perler Sage (#9aa98e) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 4.5 (close). In Hama the nearest is Hama 101 Eucalyptus (ΔE 8.1).
What is the Madeira equivalent of DMC 523?
Madeira 1701 Sea Foam Green Light at ΔE 4.5 (close), then Madeira 1511 at ΔE 5.5.
Related
Nearest DMC colors
- DMC 3023 Brown Gray Light ΔE 7.0
- DMC 524 Fern Green Very Light ΔE 7.5
- DMC 3013 Khaki Green Light ΔE 8.4
- DMC 368 Pistachio Green Light ΔE 8.5
DMC 523 in other brands
- Madeira 1701 Sea Foam Green Light ΔE 4.5
- Perler Sage ΔE 4.5
- Hama 101 Eucalyptus ΔE 8.1
- Artkal S S113 Khaki ΔE 7.2
- Nabbi N08 Ash ΔE 13.0