DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark
DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark is a medium, soft brown with the screen hex #857b61. Anchor has no exact twin: its nearest is Anchor 1040 Pewter Medium at ΔE 4.1 (close), while Madeira offers Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium at ΔE 4.6 (close).
Updated
DMC stranded cotton
DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark
#857b61 · RGB 133, 123, 97
Closest to DMC 640 in other brands
- Anchor 1040 Pewter Medium ΔE 4.1 close
- Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium ΔE 4.6 close
- Perler Olive ΔE 13.1 loose
- Hama 117 Taupe Grey ΔE 8.3 similar
- Artkal S S117 Sage Green ΔE 8.7 similar
- Nabbi N08 Ash ΔE 8.3 similar
DMC 640 color values
| Code | 640 |
|---|---|
| Name | Beige Gray Very Dark |
| Hex (screen) | #857b61 |
| RGB | 133, 123, 97 |
| CIELAB (D65) | L* 51.9, a* -0.6, b* 15.6 |
| HSL | 43°, 16 %, 45 % |
| Color family | Brown, 23 of 55 lightest first |
| Lightness | medium (L* 51.9) |
| DMC color card | row 18-08 |
| Nearest Anchor | Anchor 1040 Pewter Medium, ΔE 4.1 |
DMC 640 equivalents in other brands
None of these 14 picks is a perfect twin of DMC 640: the best is Anchor 1040 at ΔE 4.1.
| Brand | Color | Name | ΔE2000 | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchor | 1040 | Pewter Medium | 4.1 | close |
| Anchor | 8581 | Stone Gray | 4.3 | close |
| Anchor | 903 | Tawny Medium | 7.4 | similar |
| Madeira | 1812 | Beaver Gray Medium | 4.6 | close |
| Madeira | 1509 | Fern Green Light | 5.7 | close |
| Madeira | 2002 | Mocha Brown Medium | 6.3 | similar |
| Perler | Olive | code 80-15220 | 13.1 | loose |
| Perler | Light Brown | code 80-19021 | 13.8 | loose |
| Hama | 117 | Taupe Grey | 8.3 | similar |
| Hama | 109 | Cloudy Grey | 9.7 | similar |
| Artkal S | S117 | Sage Green | 8.7 | similar |
| Artkal S | S112 | Oaktree Brown | 9.0 | similar |
| Nabbi | N08 | Ash | 8.3 | similar |
| Nabbi | N06 | Tan | 12.4 | loose |
DMC shades closest to DMC 640
No other DMC color comes within ΔE 3 of DMC 640; the nearest, DMC 830 Golden Olive Dark, sits at ΔE 6.5.
| Color | Name | Hex | ΔE2000 | Lighter or darker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 830 | Golden Olive Dark | #8d784b | 6.5 | more saturated |
| 646 | Beaver Gray Dark | #877d73 | 7.1 | more muted |
| 829 | Golden Olive Very Dark | #7e6b42 | 8.0 | darker and more saturated |
| 840 | Beige Brown Medium | #9a7c5c | 8.7 | a little lighter and more saturated |
| 3862 | Mocha Beige Dark | #8a6e4e | 8.7 | a little darker and more saturated |
| 3790 | Beige Gray Ultra Dark | #7f6a55 | 8.8 | darker |
| 3022 | Brown Gray Medium | #8e9078 | 9.0 | lighter and slightly more muted |
| 07 | Driftwood | #8f7b6e | 9.2 | slightly more muted |
Shading DMC 640: lighter and darker brown steps
4 lighter steps and 4 darker steps from the DMC brown family, L* from 59 to 43.
| Step | Color | Name | L* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 lighter | 3022 | Brown Gray Medium | 59.0 |
| 3 lighter | 3863 | Mocha Beige Medium | 57.0 |
| 2 lighter | 840 | Beige Brown Medium | 54.1 |
| 1 lighter | 07 | Driftwood | 53.1 |
| this color | 640 | Beige Gray Very Dark | 51.9 |
| 1 darker | 3862 | Mocha Beige Dark | 48.4 |
| 2 darker | 3790 | Beige Gray Ultra Dark | 46.3 |
| 3 darker | 829 | Golden Olive Very Dark | 46.1 |
| 4 darker | 610 | Drab Brown Dark | 42.6 |
Blends that stitch up close to DMC 640
One strand each of DMC 3022 and DMC 610 models at ΔE 0.8, closer than any single DMC shade (best single: DMC 830, ΔE 6.5).
| Recipe (2 strands) | Blend hex | ΔE to DMC 640 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 × DMC 3022 Brown Gray Medium + 1 × DMC 610 Drab Brown Dark | #847b63 | 0.8 |
| 1 × DMC 642 Beige Gray Dark + 1 × DMC 3787 Brown Gray Dark | #887f66 | 1.6 |
| 1 × DMC 3790 Beige Gray Ultra Dark + 1 × DMC 3022 Brown Gray Medium | #877f68 | 1.9 |
Outline and backstitch colors for DMC 640
Ranked by WCAG contrast ratio against #857b61; 3:1 or more keeps a backstitch line readable.
| Role | Color | Name | Contrast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tonal outline (brown) | 938 | Coffee Brown Ultra Dark | 3.7:1 |
| Strongest contrast | 310 | Black | 5.0:1 |
How to use DMC 640
Substituting DMC 640 takes care: Anchor 1040 is a little lighter and slightly more muted (ΔE 4.1), and Madeira 1812 is a little darker and slightly more muted (ΔE 4.6). Stitch a small test on your fabric before you commit a whole area.
DMC 640 is number 23 of 55 in the DMC brown family, counted from the lightest. For shading, step up to DMC 07 Driftwood and down to DMC 3862 Mocha Beige Dark. No other DMC shade sits within ΔE 3, so it is hard to confuse with the rest of the card.
DMC 640 glows on black or navy Aida (contrast 5.0:1 against black) but turns subtle on white fabric (4.2:1).
For a fuse-bead version of the same design, the nearest beads are Perler Olive (ΔE 13.1), Hama 117 Taupe Grey (ΔE 8.3) and Artkal S S117 Sage Green (ΔE 8.7); beads come in fewer shades than DMC, so expect a similar shade at best.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Anchor equivalent of DMC 640?
Anchor 1040 Pewter Medium is the closest Anchor match to DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark (ΔE 4.1, close). Runners-up: Anchor 8581 (ΔE 4.3) and Anchor 903 (ΔE 7.4).
What color is DMC 640?
DMC 640 Beige Gray Very Dark is a medium, soft brown in the brown family: hex #857b61, RGB 133, 123, 97, L* 51.9. These are screen values for a dyed thread, so check a real skein in daylight.
What can I use instead of DMC 640?
Inside DMC, DMC 830 Golden Olive Dark is nearest (ΔE 6.5). From other brands, Anchor 1040 (ΔE 4.1) or Madeira 1812 (ΔE 4.6). A 1+1 blend of DMC 3022 and DMC 610 models at ΔE 0.8.
What is DMC 640 in Perler beads?
Perler Olive (#696e31) is the nearest Perler bead at ΔE 13.1 (loose). In Hama the nearest is Hama 117 Taupe Grey (ΔE 8.3).
What is the Madeira equivalent of DMC 640?
Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium at ΔE 4.6 (close), then Madeira 1509 at ΔE 5.7.
Related
Nearest DMC colors
- DMC 830 Golden Olive Dark ΔE 6.5
- DMC 646 Beaver Gray Dark ΔE 7.1
- DMC 3862 Mocha Beige Dark ΔE 8.7
DMC 640 in other brands
- Madeira 1812 Beaver Gray Medium ΔE 4.6
- Perler Olive ΔE 13.1
- Hama 117 Taupe Grey ΔE 8.3
- Artkal S S117 Sage Green ΔE 8.7
- Nabbi N08 Ash ΔE 8.3