Floss color converter: DMC ↔ Anchor, Gamma, PNK, Madeira — both directions

No. Both ranges have unique shades the other doesn't carry — some Anchor variegated and metallic colors have no DMC equivalent and vice versa. Roughly 90% of the DMC range has a published Anchor substitute, and that's what this table shows. If a DMC code isn't in the Anchor column, the official list has no equivalent for it.

For any pair other than DMC ↔ Anchor it's a perceptual approximation, not an official mapping. Each row shows ΔE — the color distance in CIE LAB space. Under 2 is essentially invisible to the human eye. 2–5 you might pick out in a side-by-side stitch but not in a full pattern. 5–10 is a noticeable but usable substitute. Above 10 the colors are genuinely different — usually because that shade simply isn't covered by the target brand.

ΔE is the standard scientific measure of color difference in the CIE LAB color space — designed to roughly match how the human eye perceives differences. It's used by every printing, paint and textile lab. ΔE = 0 means identical; ΔE = 1 is the smallest difference a trained eye can spot; ΔE > 10 is "obviously different color." We compute it row-by-row so you can decide whether a substitution is acceptable for your project. (For the curious: we use ΔE₇₆, which is sufficient for floss-shade comparison; CIEDE2000 would change a few buckets at the margins but not the headline matches.)

The PNK Kirov factory (Russia) labels its threads by code only — there are no published English or descriptive names. The ixo editor uses the raw codes the same way embroiderers buying PNK in Russia do.

Yes. Use the From selector above the table to pick the palette you're starting from, and To to pick the palette you want to convert into — all 20 combinations between DMC, Anchor, Gamma, PNK and Madeira are supported. DMC ↔ Anchor uses the official cross-reference in either direction; all other pairs are nearest-match in CIE LAB.

From the published cross-stitch community standard cross-reference (the same list used by Pattern Maker, MacStitch and FlossCross). About 450 DMC colors have a documented Anchor substitute; the remainder don't have an official equivalent. Read more about palettes in the editor.

No. DMC, Anchor (Coats), Gamma, PNK Kirov and Madeira are all independent thread manufacturers. ixo is not affiliated with any of them; we use their public color codes and names so you can match your stash. All brand names are trademarks of their respective owners.