Brother to Anchor thread conversion chart

Every Brother Embroidery color with its closest Anchor Stranded Cotton equivalent, a rating for how close it is and two runner-up options. There are 61 rows. Click any number for the full breakdown.

Floss and machine thread are different materials. Anchor six-strand cotton floss has a soft matte look, while Brother is polyester machine embroidery thread with a sheen, so the matched floss will look a little softer and flatter than the thread it replaces. Use this chart to pick Anchor floss when you stitch a machine embroidery design by hand.

16%very close or better

52%close or better

61Brother Embroidery colors

420Anchor Stranded Cotton colors

Near identical 1
Very close 9
Close 22
Approximate 25
Poor match 4

Reverse: Anchor → Brother Convert a design's list Shop Anchor ↗

61 colors

					Match	Alternatives
900	Black	→	403	Black	Near identical ΔE 0.0	683 879
001	White	→	128	Cobalt Bleu Light	Very close ΔE 1.8	234 869
800	Red	→	334	Blaze Medium	Close ΔE 5.0	335 1098
085	Pink	→	26	Carnation Medium Light	Very close ΔE 2.2	86 96
086	Deep Rose	→	87	Orchid Medium	Close ΔE 2.4	63 88
124	Flesh Pink	→	49	China Rose Light	Very close ΔE 1.9	31 25
107	Dark Fuchsia	→	1006	Cherry Red	Close ΔE 4.8	1005 46
030	Vermilion	→	1098	Crimson Red Light	Very close ΔE 1.1	334 335
807	Carmine	→	11	Salmon Medium Dark	Close ΔE 4.2	63 57
869	Royal Purple	→	101	Violet Dark	Close ΔE 4.4	102 100
620	Magenta	→	119	Thistle Dark	Approximate ΔE 10.0	99 122
079	Salmon Pink	→	55	Beauty Rose Light	Very close ΔE 1.5	27 50
333	Amber Red	→	1024	Peony Medium	Close ΔE 4.3	68 76
202	Lemon Yellow	→	278	Olive Green Light	Approximate ΔE 7.2	289 254
205	Yellow	→	278	Olive Green Light	Approximate ΔE 8.2	289 295
206	Harvest Gold	→	289	Canary Yellow Medium Light	Approximate ΔE 6.9	295 297
208	Orange	→	297	Jonquil Medium	Close ΔE 2.3	290 291
126	Pumpkin	→	303	Citrus Medium	Very close ΔE 1.9	290 291
209	Tangerine	→	1002	Antique Gold Light	Close ΔE 2.4	298 304
010	Cream Brown	→	288	Canary Yellow Light	Very close ΔE 2.1	254 301
812	Cream Yellow	→	302	Citrus Medium Light	Close ΔE 4.1	289 301
348	Khaki	→	853	Turf Light	Close ΔE 3.4	854 831
214	Deep Gold	→	1046	Toast	Very close ΔE 1.8	290 291
328	Brass	→	844	Fern Green Medium	Approximate ΔE 9.5	280 1046
307	Linen	→	276	Pearl	Close ΔE 3.2	933 852
058	Dark Brown	→	382	Fudge Dark	Poor match ΔE 10.9	380 1088
337	Reddish Brown	→	309	Topaz Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.6	5975 308
339	Clay Brown	→	5975	Brick Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.4	309 332
843	Beige	→	300	Citrus Light	Close ΔE 3.1	387 885
399	Warm Gray	→	870	Amethyst	Close ΔE 3.6	397 848

					Match	Alternatives
330	Russet Brown	→	845	Fern Green Medium Dark	Close ΔE 3.1	846 281
323	Light Brown	→	907	Saffron Dark	Close ΔE 3.1	855 856
542	Seacrest	→	875	Pine Light	Close ΔE 4.6	1070 186
502	Mint Green	→	241	Grass Green	Approximate ΔE 5.4	203 242
509	Leaf Green	→	242	Grass Green Medium Light	Approximate ΔE 8.8	241 256
519	Olive Green	→	683	Turf Green	Approximate ΔE 6.2	879 246
517	Dark Olive	→	862	Laurel Green Dark	Approximate ΔE 5.6	258 268
534	Teal Green	→	205	Mint Green Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.9	1074 169
507	Emerald Green	→	228	Emerald Medium Dark	Close ΔE 3.5	229 1076
808	Deep Green	→	683	Turf Green	Approximate ΔE 9.6	879 246
027	Fresh Green	→	278	Olive Green Light	Approximate ΔE 5.0	289 279
513	Lime Green	→	242	Grass Green Medium Light	Poor match ΔE 10.5	241 256
515	Moss Green	→	225	Emerald Light	Approximate ΔE 7.3	226 239
405	Blue	→	149	Delft Bleu Medium Dark	Approximate ΔE 8.0	150 132
406	Ultramarine	→	132	Cobalt Bleu Medium Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.6	139 143
017	Light Blue	→	433	Electric Bleu	Close ΔE 4.0	1090 129
019	Sky Blue	→	977	Sea Bleu Medium	Poor match ΔE 11.0	922 1035
420	Electric Blue	→	149	Delft Bleu Medium Dark	Approximate ΔE 9.2	150 978
415	Peacock Blue	→	149	Delft Bleu Medium Dark	Close ΔE 3.2	150 132
007	Prussian Blue	→	127	Indigo	Approximate ΔE 9.8	100 134
070	Corn Flower	→	978	Sea Bleu Medium Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.9	131 137
810	Light Lilac	→	109	Lavender Medium Light	Close ΔE 4.5	90 26
612	Lilac	→	1030	Thistle Medium Dark	Close ΔE 4.0	177 122
613	Violet	→	101	Violet Dark	Approximate ΔE 8.8	102 100
614	Purple	→	100	Violet Medium Dark	Approximate ΔE 9.4	123 178
804	Lavender	→	140	Copen Bleu Light	Approximate ΔE 8.8	939 130
607	Wistaria Violet	→	177	Ocean Bleu Medium	Approximate ΔE 7.4	122 131
704	Pewter	→	401	Grey Dark	Close ΔE 4.4	851 263
707	Dark Gray	→	683	Turf Green	Poor match ΔE 11.1	879 861
005	Silver	→	8581	Stone Grey	Very close ΔE 1.6	1033 1040
817	Gray	→	920	Denim Light	Approximate ΔE 6.3	921 1034

Match quality is the CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE00) worked out from screen RGB values. Sheen (rayon against polyester), thread weight and dye lot also change how a substitute looks, so check a real thread card before ordering.

About Brother Embroidery

Brother Embroidery thread is the polyester range sold for Brother home embroidery machines; built-in designs on Brother and Baby Lock machines use these numbers.

About Anchor Stranded Cotton

Anchor Stranded Cotton is Coats' six-strand mercerised cotton floss for cross-stitch and hand embroidery, the main alternative to DMC in the UK and Europe. Many older patterns give Anchor numbers first, which is why DMC to Anchor charts are in such demand.

More Brother conversion charts

All Brother charts →

Brother→Isacord Brother→Madeira Polyneon Brother→Madeira Rayon Brother→Sulky Rayon Brother→Robison-Anton Rayon Brother→Robison-Anton Polyester Brother→Marathon Polyester Brother→Gunold Poly Brother→Floriani Brother→Sulky Poly Brother→Marathon Rayon Brother→Mettler Poly Sheen Brother→Hemingworth Brother→Glide Brother→Coats Sylko Brother→Janome Brother→DMC

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Brother to Anchor conversion chart?

Yes. This page lists the closest Anchor Stranded Cotton color for all 61 Brother Embroidery colors, worked out with the CIEDE2000 color-difference formula from each brand's published color values.

How many Brother colors have a close match in Anchor?

10 of the 61 colors (16%) rate Very close or better, and 52% rate Close or better. The other 29 only have approximate substitutes.

Can I convert Anchor back to Brother?

Yes, use the reverse chart, Anchor to Brother. The two palettes are different, so the reverse match is not always the same color you started from.