Anchor 976 Sea Blue Medium Light
Anchor 976 Sea Blue Medium Light is a light, muted blue with the screen hex #8dacb9. DMC has no exact twin: its nearest is DMC 519 Sky Blue at ΔE 4.6 (close), while Madeira offers Madeira 1002 Antique Blue Light at ΔE 2.8 (very close).
Updated
Anchor stranded cotton
Anchor 976 Sea Blue Medium Light
#8dacb9 · RGB 141, 172, 185
Closest to Anchor 976 in other brands
- DMC 519 Sky Blue ΔE 4.6 close
- Madeira 1002 Antique Blue Light ΔE 2.8 very close
- Perler Mist ΔE 1.4 very close
- Hama 97 Pastel Ice Blue ΔE 2.4 very close
- Artkal S SG3 Glow Blue ΔE 6.2 similar
- Nabbi N28 Sky ΔE 13.2 loose
Anchor 976 color values
| Code | 976 |
|---|---|
| Name | Sea Blue Medium Light |
| Hex (screen) | #8dacb9 |
| RGB | 141, 172, 185 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 68.5, a* -7.6, b* -10.2 |
| HSL | 198°, 24 %, 64 % |
| Color family | Blue, 7 of 59 lightest first |
| Lightness | light (L* 68.5) |
| Nearest DMC | DMC 519 Sky Blue, ΔE 4.6 |
Anchor 976 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of Anchor 976: the best is Madeira 1002 at ΔE 2.8.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMC | 519 | Sky Blue | 4.6 | close |
| DMC | 3755 | Baby Blue | 5.7 | close |
| DMC | 926 | Gray Green Medium | 5.9 | close |
| Madeira | 1002 | Antique Blue Light | 2.8 | very close |
| Madeira | 1710 | Dusty Blue Light | 5.1 | close |
| Madeira | 1105 | Wedgewood Light | 6.5 | similar |
| Perler | Mist | code 80-15215 | 1.4 | very close |
| Perler | Pewter | code 80-15206 | 9.1 | similar |
| Hama | 97 | Pastel Ice Blue | 2.4 | very close |
| Hama | 70 | Light Grey | 6.5 | similar |
| Artkal S | SG3 | Glow Blue | 6.2 | similar |
| Artkal S | S44 | Sky Blue | 8.8 | similar |
| Nabbi | N28 | Sky | 13.2 | loose |
| Nabbi | N23 | Medium Blue | 13.5 | loose |
Anchor shades closest to Anchor 976
No other Anchor color comes within ΔE 3 of Anchor 976; the nearest, Anchor 1096 Blue Violet Light, sits at ΔE 4.6.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1096 | Blue Violet Light | #9fb3c1 | 4.6 | a little lighter and slightly more muted |
| 343 | Slate Blue | #8ca2b4 | 5.1 | a little darker |
| 144 | Delft Blue Very Light | #9dbdcf | 5.2 | lighter |
| 1033 | Antique Blue Light | #8da1b4 | 6.0 | a little darker |
| 849 | Blue Mist Medium Light | #9caaab | 6.4 | more muted |
| 1038 | Glacier Blue Medium | #8bbdc7 | 6.7 | lighter and slightly more saturated |
| 1032 | Antique Blue Very Light | #abc2cf | 7.0 | lighter and slightly more muted |
| 975 | Sea Blue Light | #aac5cb | 7.5 | lighter and slightly more muted |
Shading Anchor 976: lighter and darker blue steps
4 lighter steps and 4 darker steps from the Anchor blue family, L* from 80 to 63.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 159 | Sapphire Light | 79.8 |
| 3 lighter | 1032 | Antique Blue Very Light | 77.1 |
| 2 lighter | 144 | Delft Blue Very Light | 74.9 |
| 1 lighter | 1096 | Blue Violet Light | 71.9 |
| this color | 976 | Sea Blue Medium Light | 68.5 |
| 1 darker | 140 | Copen Blue Light | 66.2 |
| 2 darker | 343 | Slate Blue | 65.5 |
| 3 darker | 1033 | Antique Blue Light | 65.3 |
| 4 darker | 175 | Ocean Blue Light | 63.5 |
Blends that stitch up close to Anchor 976
One strand each of Anchor 1032 and Anchor 1062 models at ΔE 0.5, closer than any single Anchor shade (best single: Anchor 1096, ΔE 4.6).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to Anchor 976 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × Anchor 1032 Antique Blue Very Light + 1 × Anchor 1062 Peacock Blue | #8dacba | 0.5 |
| 1 × Anchor 975 Sea Blue Light + 1 × Anchor 920 Denim Light | #91acb6 | 1.4 |
| 1 × Anchor 343 Slate Blue + 1 × Anchor 1038 Glacier Blue Medium | #8cb0be | 1.6 |
Outline and backstitch colors for Anchor 976
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #8dacb9; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
| Role | Color | Name | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonal outline (blue) | 152 | Delft Blue Very Dark | 7.6:1 |
| Strongest contrast | 403 | Black | 8.7:1 |
| Softer gray or brown line | 359 | Coffee Medium | 4.4:1 |
How to use Anchor 976
Substituting Anchor 976 takes care: DMC 519 is more saturated (ΔE 4.6), and Madeira 1002 is a little lighter (ΔE 2.8). Stitch a small test on your fabric before you commit a whole area.
Anchor 976 is number 7 of 59 in the Anchor blue family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to Anchor 1096 Blue Violet Light and down to Anchor 140 Copen Blue Light. No other Anchor shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
Anchor 976 glows on black or navy Aida (contrast 8.7:1 against black) but turns subtle on white fabric (2.4:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Mist (ΔE 1.4), Hama 97 Pastel Ice Blue (ΔE 2.4) and Artkal S SG3 Glow Blue (ΔE 6.2); at least one of them is a very close match.
Frequently asked questions
What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 976?
DMC 519 Sky Blue is the closest DMC match to Anchor 976 Sea Blue Medium Light (ΔE 4.6, close). Runners-up: DMC 3755 (ΔE 5.7) and DMC 926 (ΔE 5.9).
What color is Anchor 976?
Anchor 976 Sea Blue Medium Light is a light, muted blue in the blue family: hex #8dacb9, RGB 141, 172, 185, L* 68.5. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of Anchor 976?
Inside Anchor, Anchor 1096 Blue Violet Light is nearest (ΔE 4.6). From other brands, DMC 519 (ΔE 4.6) or Madeira 1002 (ΔE 2.8). A 1+1 blend of Anchor 1032 and Anchor 1062 models at ΔE 0.5.
What is Anchor 976 in Perler beads?
Perler Mist (#93b0bd) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 1.4 (very close). In Hama the nearest is Hama 97 Pastel Ice Blue (ΔE 2.4).
What is the Madeira equivalent of Anchor 976?
Madeira 1002 Antique Blue Light at ΔE 2.8 (very close), then Madeira 1710 at ΔE 5.1.
Related
Nearest Anchor colors
- Anchor 1096 Blue Violet Light ΔE 4.6
- Anchor 144 Delft Blue Very Light ΔE 5.2
- Anchor 1038 Glacier Blue Medium ΔE 6.7
- Anchor 1032 Antique Blue Very Light ΔE 7.0
- Anchor 975 Sea Blue Light ΔE 7.5
Anchor 976 in other brands
- Madeira 1002 Antique Blue Light ΔE 2.8
- Perler Mist ΔE 1.4
- Hama 97 Pastel Ice Blue ΔE 2.4
- Artkal S SG3 Glow Blue ΔE 6.2
- Nabbi N28 Sky ΔE 13.2