Anchor 169 Surf Blue Medium
On screen, Anchor 169 Surf Blue Medium reads as a dark, soft blue (#15718b). DMC has no exact twin: its nearest is DMC 517 Wedgewood Dark at ΔE 3.9 (close), while Madeira offers Madeira 1108 Misty Blue Dark at ΔE 3.7 (close).
Updated
Anchor stranded cotton
Anchor 169 Surf Blue Medium
#15718b · RGB 21, 113, 139
Closest to Anchor 169 in other brands
- DMC 517 Wedgewood Dark ΔE 3.9 close
- Madeira 1108 Misty Blue Dark ΔE 3.7 close
- Perler Teal ΔE 8.5 similar
- Hama 83 Petrol Blue ΔE 4.7 close
- Artkal S S104 Deep Water ΔE 5.2 close
- Nabbi N17 Bright Blue ΔE 15.7 loose
Anchor 169 color values
| Code | 169 |
|---|---|
| Name | Surf Blue Medium |
| Hex (screen) | #15718b |
| RGB | 21, 113, 139 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 44.0, a* -15.9, b* -21.5 |
| HSL | 193°, 74 %, 31 % |
| Color family | Blue, 32 of 59 lightest first |
| Lightness | dark (L* 44.0) |
| Nearest DMC | DMC 517 Wedgewood Dark, ΔE 3.9 |
Anchor 169 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of Anchor 169: the best is Madeira 1108 at ΔE 3.7.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMC | 517 | Wedgewood Dark | 3.9 | close |
| DMC | 3842 | Wedgewood Very Dark | 4.9 | close |
| DMC | 824 | Blue Very Dark | 6.4 | similar |
| Madeira | 1108 | Misty Blue Dark | 3.7 | close |
| Madeira | 1012 | Blue Medium | 4.7 | close |
| Madeira | 1711 | Dusty Blue Medium | 5.8 | close |
| Perler | Teal | code 80-15218 | 8.5 | similar |
| Perler | Peacock | code 80-15275 | 11.5 | loose |
| Hama | 83 | Petrol Blue | 4.7 | close |
| Hama | 119 | Sky Blue | 15.7 | loose |
| Artkal S | S104 | Deep Water | 5.2 | close |
| Artkal S | S105 | Petrol Blue | 5.4 | close |
| Nabbi | N17 | Bright Blue | 15.7 | loose |
| Nabbi | N01 | Black | 22.6 | loose |
Anchor shades closest to Anchor 169
No other Anchor color comes within ΔE 3 of Anchor 169; the nearest, Anchor 162 Sapphire Medium Dark, sits at ΔE 6.7.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 162 | Sapphire Medium Dark | #0b658c | 6.7 | a little darker and slightly more saturated |
| 410 | Ice Blue Dark | #0078a9 | 7.6 | a little lighter and more saturated |
| 1064 | Wedgewood Light | #4b8297 | 8.0 | lighter and slightly more muted |
| 921 | Denim Medium | #567080 | 8.9 | a little lighter and more muted |
| 1066 | Wedgewood Dark | #1b576a | 9.1 | darker and more muted |
| 978 | Sea Blue Medium Dark | #467196 | 9.1 | a little lighter |
| 170 | Surf Blue Dark | #00556c | 9.6 | darker and slightly more muted |
| 779 | Blue Mist Medium Dark | #4d787b | 9.7 | a little lighter and more muted |
Shading Anchor 169: lighter and darker blue steps
4 lighter steps and 4 darker steps from the Anchor blue family, L* from 51 to 33.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 1064 | Wedgewood Light | 51.5 |
| 3 lighter | 410 | Ice Blue Dark | 47.4 |
| 2 lighter | 978 | Sea Blue Medium Dark | 46.1 |
| 1 lighter | 921 | Denim Medium | 45.8 |
| this color | 169 | Surf Blue Medium | 44.0 |
| 1 darker | 162 | Sapphire Medium Dark | 40.0 |
| 2 darker | 922 | Denim Dark | 36.6 |
| 3 darker | 1066 | Wedgewood Dark | 34.2 |
| 4 darker | 170 | Surf Blue Dark | 33.1 |
Blends that stitch up close to Anchor 169
One strand each of Anchor 146 and Anchor 1076 models at ΔE 1.6, closer than any single Anchor shade (best single: Anchor 162, ΔE 6.7).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to Anchor 169 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × Anchor 146 Delft Blue + 1 × Anchor 1076 Misty Green Dark | #26718c | 1.6 |
| 1 × Anchor 147 Delft Blue Medium Light + 1 × Anchor 188 Sea Green Medium Dark | #077188 | 1.6 |
| 1 × Anchor 137 Wedgewood Medium + 1 × Anchor 189 Sea Green Dark | #24708c | 1.8 |
Outline and backstitch colors for Anchor 169
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #15718b; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
Stitching with Anchor 169
Substituting Anchor 169 takes care: DMC 517 is a little lighter and slightly more muted (ΔE 3.9), and Madeira 1108 is practically the same in lightness and saturation (ΔE 3.7). Stitch a small test on your fabric before you commit a whole area.
Anchor 169 is number 32 of 59 in the Anchor blue family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to Anchor 921 Denim Medium and down to Anchor 162 Sapphire Medium Dark. No other Anchor shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
Anchor 169 stands out on white or cream fabric (contrast 5.6:1 against white) and turns subtle on black Aida (3.8:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Teal (ΔE 8.5), Hama 83 Petrol Blue (ΔE 4.7) and Artkal S S104 Deep Water (ΔE 5.2); beads come in fewer shades than Anchor, so expect a close match at best.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 169?
DMC 517 Wedgewood Dark is the closest DMC match to Anchor 169 Surf Blue Medium (ΔE 3.9, close). Runners-up: DMC 3842 (ΔE 4.9) and DMC 824 (ΔE 6.4).
What color is Anchor 169?
Anchor 169 Surf Blue Medium is a dark, soft blue in the blue family: hex #15718b, RGB 21, 113, 139, L* 44.0. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of Anchor 169?
Inside Anchor, Anchor 162 Sapphire Medium Dark is nearest (ΔE 6.7). From other brands, DMC 517 (ΔE 3.9) or Madeira 1108 (ΔE 3.7). A 1+1 blend of Anchor 146 and Anchor 1076 models at ΔE 1.6.
What is Anchor 169 in Perler beads?
Perler Teal (#047f8a) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 8.5 (similar). In Hama the nearest is Hama 83 Petrol Blue (ΔE 4.7).
What is the Madeira equivalent of Anchor 169?
Madeira 1108 Misty Blue Dark at ΔE 3.7 (close), then Madeira 1012 at ΔE 4.7.
Related
Nearest Anchor colors
- Anchor 162 Sapphire Medium Dark ΔE 6.7
- Anchor 410 Ice Blue Dark ΔE 7.6
- Anchor 1066 Wedgewood Dark ΔE 9.1
- Anchor 170 Surf Blue Dark ΔE 9.6
- Anchor 779 Blue Mist Medium Dark ΔE 9.7
Anchor 169 in other brands
- DMC 517 Wedgewood Dark ΔE 3.9
- Madeira 1108 Misty Blue Dark ΔE 3.7
- Perler Teal ΔE 8.5
- Hama 83 Petrol Blue ΔE 4.7
- Artkal S S104 Deep Water ΔE 5.2
- Nabbi N17 Bright Blue ΔE 15.7