Brother to DMC thread conversion chart

Every Brother Embroidery color with its closest DMC Embroidery Floss 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. DMC 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 DMC floss when you stitch a machine embroidery design by hand.

23%very close or better

59%close or better

61Brother Embroidery colors

455DMC Embroidery Floss colors

Near identical 2
Very close 12
Close 22
Approximate 20
Poor match 5

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

61 colors

					Match	Alternatives
900	Black	→	310	Black	Near identical ΔE 0.0	500 934
001	White	→	775	Baby Blue Very Light	Very close ΔE 1.8	762 3743
800	Red	→	606	Bright Orange Red	Close ΔE 5.0	3801 900
085	Pink	→	3833	Raspberry Light	Very close ΔE 2.2	3608 3806
086	Deep Rose	→	3607	Plum Light	Close ΔE 2.4	3805 602
124	Flesh Pink	→	3689	Mauve Light	Very close ΔE 1.9	3708 3716
107	Dark Fuchsia	→	304	Christmas Red Medium	Close ΔE 4.8	498 816
030	Vermilion	→	3801	Dark Melon Very	Very close ΔE 1.1	606 946
807	Carmine	→	891	Carnation Dark	Close ΔE 4.1	350 349
869	Royal Purple	→	550	Violet Very Light	Close ΔE 4.4	3837 327
620	Magenta	→	3834	Grape Dark	Close ΔE 4.5	3837 3835
079	Salmon Pink	→	604	Cranberry Light	Very close ΔE 1.5	151 894
333	Amber Red	→	3328	Salmon Dark	Close ΔE 4.3	600 3687
202	Lemon Yellow	→	3820	Straw Dark	Approximate ΔE 5.5	3822 3819
205	Yellow	→	3821	Straw	Approximate ΔE 6.1	3819 3820
206	Harvest Gold	→	3852	Straw Very Dark	Near identical ΔE 0.9	3821 307
208	Orange	→	973	Canary Brt	Close ΔE 2.3	444 742
126	Pumpkin	→	742	Tangerine Light	Very close ΔE 1.9	444 3853
209	Tangerine	→	977	Golden Brown Light	Close ΔE 2.4	972 741
010	Cream Brown	→	445	Lemon Light	Very close ΔE 2.1	472 744
812	Cream Yellow	→	3820	Straw Dark	Very close ΔE 2.1	3822 743
348	Khaki	→	3829	Old Gold Very Dark	Very close ΔE 2.0	372 371
214	Deep Gold	→	444	Lemon Dark	Close ΔE 4.5	973 728
328	Brass	→	733	Olive Green Medium	Approximate ΔE 9.5	3012 581
307	Linen	→	3856	Mahogany Ultra Very Light	Very close ΔE 1.5	543 3047
058	Dark Brown	→	3371	Black Brown	Poor match ΔE 10.9	3031 838
337	Reddish Brown	→	780	Topaz Ultra Very Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.6	435 3830
339	Clay Brown	→	3830	Terra Cotta	Approximate ΔE 6.4	780 946
843	Beige	→	745	Yellow Light Pale	Close ΔE 3.1	3855 739
399	Warm Gray	→	3042	Antique Violet Light	Close ΔE 3.6	3024 927

					Match	Alternatives
330	Russet Brown	→	730	Olive Green Very Dark	Close ΔE 3.1	731 3011
323	Light Brown	→	832	Golden Olive	Close ΔE 3.1	3826 3860
542	Seacrest	→	3817	Celadon Green Light	Close ΔE 4.6	993 959
502	Mint Green	→	164	Forestgreen Light	Close ΔE 5.0	954 907
509	Leaf Green	→	906	Parrot Green Medium	Poor match ΔE 11.2	164 907
519	Olive Green	→	500	Blue Green Very Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.2	986 934
517	Dark Olive	→	520	Fern Green Dark	Approximate ΔE 5.6	904 937
534	Teal Green	→	911	Emerald Green Medium	Approximate ΔE 6.9	3814 806
507	Emerald Green	→	3818	Emarald Green Ultra Very Dark	Very close ΔE 1.7	700 909
808	Deep Green	→	500	Blue Green Very Dark	Approximate ΔE 9.6	986 991
027	Fresh Green	→	3819	Moss Green Light	Approximate ΔE 5.0	3820 3822
513	Lime Green	→	906	Parrot Green Medium	Poor match ΔE 12.0	907 734
515	Moss Green	→	702	Kelly Green	Approximate ΔE 7.3	580 505
405	Blue	→	3842	Wedgwood Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.2	803 336
406	Ultramarine	→	803	Baby Blue Ultra Very Dark	Approximate ΔE 6.5	797 796
017	Light Blue	→	996	Electric Blue Medium	Close ΔE 4.0	162 3846
019	Sky Blue	→	334	Baby Blue Medium	Poor match ΔE 11.0	3842 930
420	Electric Blue	→	3842	Wedgwood Dark	Close ΔE 4.1	803 336
415	Peacock Blue	→	336	Navy Blue	Close ΔE 3.2	797 803
007	Prussian Blue	→	823	Navy Blue Dark	Approximate ΔE 9.8	327 820
070	Corn Flower	→	322	Navy Blue Very Light	Approximate ΔE 6.9	3842 161
810	Light Lilac	→	209	Lavender Dark	Close ΔE 4.5	3836 3833
612	Lilac	→	3746	Blue Violet Dark	Close ΔE 4.0	3835 3838
613	Violet	→	3837	Lavender Ultra Dark	Approximate ΔE 8.5	550 327
614	Purple	→	327	Violet Dark	Approximate ΔE 9.4	791 550
804	Lavender	→	159	Gray Blue Light	Approximate ΔE 8.1	3755 156
607	Wistaria Violet	→	3838	Lavender Bleu Dark	Approximate ΔE 7.4	161 3807
704	Pewter	→	535	Ash Grey Very Light	Close ΔE 4.4	924 890
707	Dark Gray	→	500	Blue Green Very Dark	Poor match ΔE 11.1	935 934
005	Silver	→	3022	Brown Grey Medium	Very close ΔE 1.6	640 642
817	Gray	→	646	Beaver Grey Dark	Approximate ΔE 5.3	931 645

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 DMC Embroidery Floss

DMC six-strand embroidery floss (Mouliné Spécial, article 117) is the cotton floss most cross-stitch and hand embroidery patterns are written for. DMC has made it in Mulhouse, France since the eighteenth century and numbers every shade, from 01 to 3866 plus White and Ecru.

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→Anchor

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Brother to DMC conversion chart?

Yes. This page lists the closest DMC Embroidery Floss 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 DMC?

14 of the 61 colors (23%) rate Very close or better, and 59% rate Close or better. The other 25 only have approximate substitutes.

Can I convert DMC back to Brother?

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