DMC vs Anchor Thread: Which Cross Stitch Brand Should You Use?

DMC and Anchor are the two most widely used stranded cotton brands for cross stitch. If you are choosing between them - or need to substitute one for the other because a pattern specifies a brand you cannot find locally - here is a practical comparison. ## The Short Answer Both are excellent quality. DMC is the global default and most patterns reference DMC numbers. Anchor is popular in the UK and parts of Europe, often easier to find in British high street shops. You can stitch an entire project in either brand with great results. The differences are subtle. ## Brand Overview ### DMC - **Origin:** French (Dollfus-Mieg et Compagnie, founded 1746) - **Range:** ~500 colours (Art. 117 stranded cotton) - **Available in:** Worldwide, dominant in the US, widely stocked in the UK - **Numbering:** 1-5200 range (not sequential - there are gaps) - **Price:** Around 80p-£1 per skein in the UK DMC is the de facto standard for cross stitch patterns. If a pattern lists just a number like "310", it almost certainly means DMC 310 (black). Most pattern software, including our [pattern maker](/pattern-maker/), generates charts with DMC colour codes. ### Anchor - **Origin:** British (made by Coats, founded 1826) - **Range:** ~440 colours - **Available in:** Strong in UK, Europe, Australia, India - **Numbering:** 1-1098 range (with gaps) - **Price:** Around 70p-90p per skein in the UK Anchor has traditionally been the go-to brand in British craft shops. If you learned cross stitch from a UK kit or magazine, your first threads were probably Anchor. Many Coats/Anchor kits are sold in Hobbycraft, John Lewis, and independent needlework shops. ## Head-to-Head Comparison ### Thread Feel **DMC** has a slightly tighter twist and a subtle sheen. Some stitchers find it glides through fabric more smoothly. **Anchor** has a softer, slightly looser twist. Some find it gives fractionally better coverage because the strands spread a little more on the fabric. The difference is subtle enough that most stitchers would not notice it blind. Both separate cleanly into individual strands. ### Colour Range **DMC** has more colours overall (~500 vs ~440). The extra shades are mostly in the mid-tones - useful for detailed photo conversions but rarely missed in simpler patterns. **Anchor** covers the essential spectrum well. You would be hard-pressed to find a colour you cannot match reasonably closely. For practical purposes, both ranges are more than sufficient for any cross stitch project. ### Colour Matching This is where it gets important. DMC and Anchor **do not share a numbering system**. DMC 310 (black) is not the same as Anchor 310 (a medium blue). You need a conversion chart to substitute between brands. Conversions are approximations, not exact matches. Dye processes differ between manufacturers, so "DMC 321 = Anchor 9046" means they are close, not identical. For most colours the match is excellent. For a few - particularly some reds, purples, and teals - there is a visible difference. **Use our [thread conversion tool](/thread-conversion/)** to look up equivalents between DMC, Anchor, Madeira, and Cosmo. ### Colour Consistency Both brands maintain good batch-to-batch consistency. Buy DMC 3799 today and it should match DMC 3799 from five years ago. That said, if you are buying thread for a large project, try to buy all skeins of each colour at the same time from the same source. This applies to both brands. ### Availability In the UK, **Anchor** is often easier to find on the high street - Hobbycraft and independent shops tend to stock it. **DMC** dominates online retailers and specialist needlework shops. Globally, **DMC** is more universally available. If you buy online, both are equally easy to source. ### Price Anchor is typically 10-15% cheaper per skein than DMC in the UK. Over a large project with 30+ colours, the saving adds up to a few pounds. Neither brand is expensive in absolute terms. ## Can I Mix DMC and Anchor in One Project? Yes, but with caveats: - **Match colours carefully** - Use a conversion chart and compare the actual threads in person for critical colours - **Watch for sheen differences** - The slight difference in twist can cause mixed threads to catch light differently in the same piece - **Be consistent per colour** - Do not switch brands mid-colour. If you start a colour in DMC, finish it in DMC Many stitchers mix brands without issue, especially when substituting a colour or two that they cannot find in their primary brand. ## Which Should I Choose? | Choose DMC if... | Choose Anchor if... | |---|---| | Your pattern specifies DMC numbers | Your pattern specifies Anchor numbers | | You buy thread online | You prefer buying from UK high street shops | | You want the widest colour range | Price per skein matters to you | | You stitch patterns from American designers | You stitch patterns from UK/European designers | If you have no particular reason to prefer one, **go with whichever is easier to buy where you live**. Both are quality threads that will last decades in a finished piece. ## Thread Conversion Need to convert between brands? Our [thread conversion charts](/thread-conversion/) cover DMC, Anchor, Madeira, and Cosmo with match quality ratings so you know how close each substitution is. Browse all colours: - [DMC Colour Chart](/dmc-colors/) - [Anchor Colour Chart](/anchor-colors/) - [DMC to Anchor Conversion](/thread-conversion/dmc-anchor/)