Anchor 273 Stone Gray Dark
On screen, Anchor 273 Stone Gray Dark reads as a dark, muted brown (#554d3a). DMC has no exact twin: its nearest is DMC 3021 Brown Gray Very Dark at ΔE 4.3 (close), while Madeira offers Madeira 1811 Beaver Gray Dark at ΔE 2.8 (very close).
Updated
Anchor stranded cotton
Anchor 273 Stone Gray Dark
#554d3a · RGB 85, 77, 58
Closest to Anchor 273 in other brands
- DMC 3021 Brown Gray Very Dark ΔE 4.3 close
- Madeira 1811 Beaver Gray Dark ΔE 2.8 very close
- Perler Charcoal ΔE 13.0 loose
- Hama 62 Silver ΔE 12.0 loose
- Artkal S S63 Metallic Gold ΔE 7.1 similar
- Nabbi N02 Dark Brown ΔE 6.8 similar
Anchor 273 color values
| Code | 273 |
|---|---|
| Name | Stone Gray Dark |
| Hex (screen) | #554d3a |
| RGB | 85, 77, 58 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 33.0, a* -0.1, b* 12.5 |
| HSL | 42°, 19 %, 28 % |
| Color family | Brown, 45 of 59 lightest first |
| Lightness | dark (L* 33.0) |
| Nearest DMC | DMC 3021 Brown Gray Very Dark, ΔE 4.3 |
Anchor 273 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of Anchor 273: the best is Madeira 1811 at ΔE 2.8.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMC | 3021 | Brown Gray Very Dark | 4.3 | close |
| DMC | 838 | Beige Brown Very Dark | 5.0 | close |
| DMC | 3787 | Brown Gray Dark | 6.3 | similar |
| Madeira | 1811 | Beaver Gray Dark | 2.8 | very close |
| Madeira | 1905 | Beige Gray Very Dark | 7.4 | similar |
| Madeira | 1809 | Shell Gray Very Dark | 10.0 | loose |
| Perler | Charcoal | code 80-15207 | 13.0 | loose |
| Perler | Brown | code 80-19012 | 13.1 | loose |
| Hama | 62 | Silver | 12.0 | loose |
| Hama | 117 | Taupe Grey | 14.3 | loose |
| Artkal S | S63 | Metallic Gold | 7.1 | similar |
| Artkal S | S89 | Charcoal Gray | 13.5 | loose |
| Nabbi | N02 | Dark Brown | 6.8 | similar |
| Nabbi | N03 | Brown Medium | 14.0 | loose |
Anchor shades closest to Anchor 273
No other Anchor color comes within ΔE 3 of Anchor 273; the nearest, Anchor 904 Mocha Brown Dark, sits at ΔE 5.5.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 904 | Mocha Brown Dark | #5f4d31 | 5.5 | more saturated |
| 1041 | Stone Gray Very Dark | #3c362b | 8.3 | darker and slightly more muted |
| 1086 | Mocha Brown Dark | #5c4636 | 8.6 | slightly more saturated |
| 681 | Forest Dark | #555733 | 8.7 | a little lighter and more saturated |
| 905 | Tawny Dark | #41321c | 9.6 | darker and slightly more saturated |
| 393 | Linen Dark | #766139 | 11.0 | lighter and more saturated |
| 846 | Fern Green Dark | #46410b | 11.2 | darker and more saturated |
| 845 | Fern Green Medium Dark | #615b20 | 11.9 | lighter and more saturated |
Shading Anchor 273: lighter and darker brown steps
4 lighter steps and 4 darker steps from the Anchor brown family, L* from 48 to 20.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 8581 | Stone Gray | 48.1 |
| 3 lighter | 393 | Linen Dark | 42.3 |
| 2 lighter | 845 | Fern Green Medium Dark | 38.1 |
| 1 lighter | 889 | Sand Stone Medium Dark | 35.0 |
| this color | 273 | Stone Gray Dark | 33.0 |
| 1 darker | 1086 | Mocha Brown Dark | 31.6 |
| 2 darker | 846 | Fern Green Dark | 27.0 |
| 3 darker | 905 | Tawny Dark | 21.9 |
| 4 darker | 1088 | Mocha Brown Very Dark | 19.7 |
Blends that stitch up close to Anchor 273
One strand each of Anchor 1086 and Anchor 681 models at ΔE 2.7, closer than any single Anchor shade (best single: Anchor 904, ΔE 5.5).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to Anchor 273 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × Anchor 1086 Mocha Brown Dark + 1 × Anchor 681 Forest Dark | #594f35 | 2.7 |
| 1 × Anchor 845 Fern Green Medium Dark + 1 × Anchor 401 Gray Dark | #524d33 | 3.6 |
| 1 × Anchor 1086 Mocha Brown Dark + 1 × Anchor 861 Laurel Green Medium | #545037 | 3.7 |
Outline and backstitch colors for Anchor 273
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #554d3a; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
| Role | Color | Name | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonal outline (brown) | 1045 | Toast Light | 2.8:1 |
| Strongest contrast | 1 | Snow White | 8.1:1 |
| Softer gray or brown line | 975 | Sea Blue Light | 4.6:1 |
Stitching with Anchor 273
Substituting Anchor 273 takes care: DMC 3021 is slightly more muted (ΔE 4.3), and Madeira 1811 is a little lighter and slightly more muted (ΔE 2.8). Stitch a small test on your fabric before you commit a whole area.
Anchor 273 is number 45 of 59 in the Anchor brown family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to Anchor 889 Sand Stone Medium Dark and down to Anchor 1086 Mocha Brown Dark. No other Anchor shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
Anchor 273 stands out on white or cream fabric (contrast 8.4:1 against white) and turns subtle on black Aida (2.5:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Charcoal (ΔE 13.0), Hama 62 Silver (ΔE 12.0) and Artkal S S63 Metallic Gold (ΔE 7.1); beads come in fewer shades than Anchor, so expect a similar shade at best.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 273?
DMC 3021 Brown Gray Very Dark is the closest DMC match to Anchor 273 Stone Gray Dark (ΔE 4.3, close). Runners-up: DMC 838 (ΔE 5.0) and DMC 3787 (ΔE 6.3).
What color is Anchor 273?
Anchor 273 Stone Gray Dark is a dark, muted brown in the brown family: hex #554d3a, RGB 85, 77, 58, L* 33.0. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of Anchor 273?
Inside Anchor, Anchor 904 Mocha Brown Dark is nearest (ΔE 5.5). From other brands, DMC 3021 (ΔE 4.3) or Madeira 1811 (ΔE 2.8). A 1+1 blend of Anchor 1086 and Anchor 681 models at ΔE 2.7.
What is Anchor 273 in Perler beads?
Perler Charcoal (#4f595a) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 13.0 (loose). In Hama the nearest is Hama 62 Silver (ΔE 12.0).
What is the Madeira equivalent of Anchor 273?
Madeira 1811 Beaver Gray Dark at ΔE 2.8 (very close), then Madeira 1905 at ΔE 7.4.
Related
Nearest Anchor colors
- Anchor 904 Mocha Brown Dark ΔE 5.5
- Anchor 1041 Stone Gray Very Dark ΔE 8.3
- Anchor 1086 Mocha Brown Dark ΔE 8.6
- Anchor 681 Forest Dark ΔE 8.7
- Anchor 905 Tawny Dark ΔE 9.6
- Anchor 846 Fern Green Dark ΔE 11.2
- Anchor 845 Fern Green Medium Dark ΔE 11.9
Anchor 273 in other brands
- DMC 3021 Brown Gray Very Dark ΔE 4.3
- Madeira 1811 Beaver Gray Dark ΔE 2.8
- Perler Charcoal ΔE 13.0
- Hama 62 Silver ΔE 12.0
- Artkal S S63 Metallic Gold ΔE 7.1
- Nabbi N02 Dark Brown ΔE 6.8