Anchor 8581 Stone Gray
Anchor 8581 Stone Gray is a medium, muted brown with the screen hex #79725e. DMC has no exact twin: its nearest is DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark at ΔE 4.3 (close), while Madeira offers Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium at ΔE 1.6 (very close).
Updated
Anchor stranded cotton
Anchor 8581 Stone Gray
#79725e · RGB 121, 114, 94
Closest to Anchor 8581 in other brands
- DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark ΔE 4.3 close
- Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium ΔE 1.6 very close
- Perler Olive ΔE 12.8 loose
- Hama 117 Taupe Grey ΔE 5.4 close
- Artkal S S63 Metallic Gold ΔE 7.2 similar
- Nabbi N08 Ash ΔE 10.2 loose
Anchor 8581 color values
| Code | 8581 |
|---|---|
| Name | Stone Gray |
| Hex (screen) | #79725e |
| RGB | 121, 114, 94 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 48.1, a* -0.8, b* 12.1 |
| HSL | 44°, 13 %, 42 % |
| Color family | Brown, 20 of 59 lightest first |
| Lightness | medium (L* 48.1) |
| Nearest DMC | DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark, ΔE 4.3 |
Anchor 8581 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of Anchor 8581: the best is Madeira 1812 at ΔE 1.6.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMC | 640 | Beige Gray Very Dark | 4.3 | close |
| DMC | 645 | Beaver Gray Very Dark | 7.3 | similar |
| DMC | 646 | Beaver Gray Dark | 7.4 | similar |
| Madeira | 1812 | Beaver Gray Medium | 1.6 | very close |
| Madeira | 1509 | Fern Green Light | 8.1 | similar |
| Madeira | 1813 | Beaver Gray Light | 9.0 | similar |
| Perler | Olive | code 80-15220 | 12.8 | loose |
| Perler | Light Brown | code 80-19021 | 14.4 | loose |
| Hama | 117 | Taupe Grey | 5.4 | close |
| Hama | 109 | Cloudy Grey | 10.2 | loose |
| Artkal S | S63 | Metallic Gold | 7.2 | similar |
| Artkal S | S117 | Sage Green | 10.8 | loose |
| Nabbi | N08 | Ash | 10.2 | loose |
| Nabbi | N06 | Tan | 16.0 | loose |
Anchor shades closest to Anchor 8581
No other Anchor color comes within ΔE 3 of Anchor 8581; the nearest, Anchor 1040 Pewter Medium, sits at ΔE 6.1.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1040 | Pewter Medium | #888170 | 6.1 | lighter |
| 903 | Tawny Medium | #897050 | 8.4 | more saturated |
| 393 | Linen Dark | #766139 | 10.0 | darker and more saturated |
| 898 | Sierra | #876b3e | 10.5 | more saturated |
| 860 | Laurel Green Medium Light | #727e5b | 10.6 | a little lighter and more saturated |
| 832 | Sierra Medium | #9d8360 | 11.6 | lighter and more saturated |
| 281 | Olive Green Dark | #75672c | 11.8 | a little darker and more saturated |
| 1084 | Mocha Brown Medium | #846550 | 12.1 | a little darker and more saturated |
Shading Anchor 8581: lighter and darker brown steps
4 lighter steps and 4 darker steps from the Anchor brown family, L* from 59 to 42.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 392 | Linen Medium | 59.3 |
| 3 lighter | 832 | Sierra Medium | 56.3 |
| 2 lighter | 1040 | Pewter Medium | 54.1 |
| 1 lighter | 844 | Fern Green Medium | 49.6 |
| this color | 8581 | Stone Gray | 48.1 |
| 1 darker | 898 | Sierra | 47.0 |
| 2 darker | 856 | Turf Dark | 45.4 |
| 3 darker | 281 | Olive Green Dark | 43.7 |
| 4 darker | 393 | Linen Dark | 42.3 |
Blends that stitch up close to Anchor 8581
One strand each of Anchor 856 and Anchor 235 models at ΔE 1.8, closer than any single Anchor shade (best single: Anchor 1040, ΔE 6.1).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to Anchor 8581 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × Anchor 856 Turf Dark + 1 × Anchor 235 Charcoal Gray Medium | #766e5c | 1.8 |
| 1 × Anchor 860 Laurel Green Medium Light + 1 × Anchor 233 Rose Gray | #7a7664 | 2.2 |
| 1 × Anchor 844 Fern Green Medium + 1 × Anchor 235 Charcoal Gray Medium | #78745c | 2.5 |
Outline and backstitch colors for Anchor 8581
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #79725e; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
| Role | Color | Name | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonal outline (brown) | 382 | Fudge Dark | 3.3:1 |
| Strongest contrast | 1 | Snow White | 4.7:1 |
| Softer gray or brown line | 158 | Sapphire Very Light | 3.8:1 |
How to use Anchor 8581
Substituting Anchor 8581 takes care: DMC 640 is a little lighter and slightly more saturated (ΔE 4.3), and Madeira 1812 is practically the same in lightness and saturation (ΔE 1.6). Stitch a small test on your fabric before you commit a whole area.
Anchor 8581 is number 20 of 59 in the Anchor brown family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to Anchor 844 Fern Green Medium and down to Anchor 898 Sierra. No other Anchor shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
Anchor 8581 stands out on white or cream fabric (contrast 4.8:1 against white) and turns subtle on black Aida (4.4:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Olive (ΔE 12.8), Hama 117 Taupe Grey (ΔE 5.4) and Artkal S S63 Metallic Gold (ΔE 7.2); beads come in fewer shades than Anchor, so expect a close match at best.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 8581?
DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark is the closest DMC match to Anchor 8581 Stone Gray (ΔE 4.3, close). Runners-up: DMC 645 (ΔE 7.3) and DMC 646 (ΔE 7.4).
What color is Anchor 8581?
Anchor 8581 Stone Gray is a medium, muted brown in the brown family: hex #79725e, RGB 121, 114, 94, L* 48.1. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of Anchor 8581?
Inside Anchor, Anchor 1040 Pewter Medium is nearest (ΔE 6.1). From other brands, DMC 640 (ΔE 4.3) or Madeira 1812 (ΔE 1.6). A 1+1 blend of Anchor 856 and Anchor 235 models at ΔE 1.8.
What is Anchor 8581 in Perler beads?
Perler Olive (#696e31) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 12.8 (loose). In Hama the nearest is Hama 117 Taupe Grey (ΔE 5.4).
What is the Madeira equivalent of Anchor 8581?
Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium at ΔE 1.6 (very close), then Madeira 1509 at ΔE 8.1.
Related
Nearest Anchor colors
Anchor 8581 in other brands
- DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark ΔE 4.3
- Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium ΔE 1.6
- Perler Olive ΔE 12.8
- Hama 117 Taupe Grey ΔE 5.4
- Artkal S S63 Metallic Gold ΔE 7.2
- Nabbi N08 Ash ΔE 10.2