DMC 156 Blue Violet Medium Light
DMC 156 Blue Violet Medium Light is a light, soft blue with the screen hex #a3aed1. The closest Anchor thread is Anchor 117 Thistle Light, very close at ΔE 2.9; in Madeira, use Madeira 901 Blue Violet Very Light (ΔE 3.4, close).
Updated
DMC stranded cotton
DMC 156 Blue Violet Medium Light
#a3aed1 · RGB 163, 174, 209
Closest to DMC 156 in other brands
- Anchor 117 Thistle Light ΔE 2.9 very close
- Madeira 901 Blue Violet Very Light ΔE 3.4 close
- Perler Blueberry Creme ΔE 8.6 similar
- Hama 70 Light Grey ΔE 9.1 similar
- Artkal S SE2 Raincloud ΔE 2.3 very close
- Nabbi N28 Sky ΔE 8.6 similar
DMC 156 color values
| Code | 156 |
|---|---|
| Name | Blue Violet Medium Light |
| Hex (screen) | #a3aed1 |
| RGB | 163, 174, 209 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 71.3, a* 3.7, b* -19.0 |
| HSL | 226°, 33 %, 73 % |
| Color family | Blue, 12 of 52 lightest first |
| Lightness | light (L* 71.3) |
| DMC color card | row 05-14 |
| Nearest Anchor | Anchor 117 Thistle Light, ΔE 2.9 |
DMC 156 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of DMC 156: the best is Anchor 117 at ΔE 2.9.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchor | 117 | Thistle Light | 2.9 | very close |
| Anchor | 120 | Blueberry Light | 7.4 | similar |
| Anchor | 129 | Blue | 8.5 | similar |
| Madeira | 901 | Blue Violet Very Light | 3.4 | close |
| Madeira | 909 | Delft | 5.6 | close |
| Madeira | 1710 | Dusty Blue Light | 9.9 | similar |
| Perler | Blueberry Creme | code 80-19093 | 8.6 | similar |
| Perler | Lavender | code 80-15182 | 9.4 | similar |
| Hama | 70 | Light Grey | 9.1 | similar |
| Hama | 106 | Light Lavender | 9.7 | similar |
| Artkal S | SE2 | Raincloud | 2.3 | very close |
| Artkal S | S136 | Summer Rain | 3.2 | close |
| Nabbi | N28 | Sky | 8.6 | similar |
| Nabbi | N24 | Lavender | 10.0 | loose |
DMC shades closest to DMC 156
No other DMC color comes within ΔE 3 of DMC 156; the nearest, DMC 809 Delft Blue, sits at ΔE 4.8.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 809 | Delft Blue | #94a8c6 | 4.8 | a little darker |
| 341 | Blue Violet Light | #b7bfdd | 5.0 | lighter and slightly more muted |
| 794 | Cornflower Blue Light | #8f9cc1 | 5.5 | darker |
| 160 | Blue Gray Medium | #999fb7 | 5.6 | darker and slightly more muted |
| 3840 | Lavender Blue Light | #b0c0da | 6.1 | lighter and slightly more muted |
| 340 | Blue Violet Medium | #ada7c7 | 6.7 | practically the same in lightness and saturation |
| 157 | Cornflower Blue Very Light | #bbc3d9 | 7.0 | lighter and more muted |
| 932 | Antique Blue Light | #a2b5c6 | 8.6 | more muted |
Shading DMC 156: lighter and darker blue steps
4 lighter steps and 4 darker steps from the DMC blue family, L* from 79 to 65.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 157 | Cornflower Blue Very Light | 78.8 |
| 3 lighter | 341 | Blue Violet Light | 77.6 |
| 2 lighter | 3840 | Lavender Blue Light | 77.3 |
| 1 lighter | 932 | Antique Blue Light | 72.8 |
| this color | 156 | Blue Violet Medium Light | 71.3 |
| 1 darker | 340 | Blue Violet Medium | 69.9 |
| 2 darker | 809 | Delft Blue | 68.3 |
| 3 darker | 160 | Blue Gray Medium | 65.7 |
| 4 darker | 794 | Cornflower Blue Light | 64.5 |
Blends that stitch up close to DMC 156
One strand each of DMC 341 and DMC 794 models at ΔE 0.7, closer than any single DMC shade (best single: DMC 809, ΔE 4.8).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to DMC 156 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × DMC 341 Blue Violet Light + 1 × DMC 794 Cornflower Blue Light | #a5afd0 | 0.7 |
| 1 × DMC 794 Cornflower Blue Light + 1 × DMC 3840 Lavender Blue Light | #a1afce | 1.9 |
| 1 × DMC 340 Blue Violet Medium + 1 × DMC 3755 Baby Blue | #a1aecb | 2.3 |
Outline and backstitch colors for DMC 156
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #a3aed1; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
How to use DMC 156
Anchor 117 is the practical Anchor substitute for DMC 156. It is a little darker, a ΔE of 2.9 that shows only side by side, so keep to one brand inside a single shaded area.
DMC 156 is number 12 of 52 in the DMC blue family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to DMC 932 Antique Blue Light and down to DMC 340 Blue Violet Medium. No other DMC shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
DMC 156 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 Blueberry Creme (ΔE 8.6), Hama 70 Light Grey (ΔE 9.1) and Artkal S SE2 Raincloud (ΔE 2.3); at least one of them is a very close match.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 156?
Anchor 117 Thistle Light is the closest Anchor match to DMC 156 Blue Violet Medium Light (ΔE 2.9, very close). Runners-up: Anchor 120 (ΔE 7.4) and Anchor 129 (ΔE 8.5).
What color is DMC 156?
DMC 156 Blue Violet Medium Light is a light, soft blue in the blue family: hex #a3aed1, RGB 163, 174, 209, L* 71.3. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of DMC 156?
Inside DMC, DMC 809 Delft Blue is nearest (ΔE 4.8). From other brands, Anchor 117 (ΔE 2.9) or Madeira 901 (ΔE 3.4). A 1+1 blend of DMC 341 and DMC 794 models at ΔE 0.7.
What is DMC 156 in Perler beads?
Perler Blueberry Creme (#85a8e3) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 8.6 (similar). In Hama the nearest is Hama 70 Light Grey (ΔE 9.1).
What is the Madeira equivalent of DMC 156?
Madeira 901 Blue Violet Very Light at ΔE 3.4 (close), then Madeira 909 at ΔE 5.6.
Related
Nearest DMC colors
- DMC 809 Delft Blue ΔE 4.8
- DMC 3840 Lavender Blue Light ΔE 6.1
- DMC 157 Cornflower Blue Very Light ΔE 7.0
DMC 156 in other brands
- Perler Blueberry Creme ΔE 8.6
- Hama 70 Light Grey ΔE 9.1
- Artkal S SE2 Raincloud ΔE 2.3
- Nabbi N28 Sky ΔE 8.6