How to Convert Crescent Colors to DMC

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Different companies offer different colors of embroidery floss.

DMC and Crescent are two brands of embroidery floss, which is thread used mainly for embroidery or cross-stitch. The instructions on a pattern may list the colors you need in a particular brand. However, you might want to convert colors from one brand to another. DMC is a major brand and much easier to find than Crescent. Crescent floss is plain DMC floss that has been hand-dyed. Because Crescent floss is less common, finding a conversion chart from Crescent colors to DMC colors is difficult; however, you can match colors by eye.

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Step 1

Find a Crescent color chart or look online for a shop that sells Crescent floss. A commercial paper printout is better than looking at your monitor, however, because monitors all show colors slightly differently unless the monitor has been recently calibrated. You need a chart that shows samples of actual Crescent colors, preferably grouped by like color rather than listed alphabetically by name. Keep in mind, however, that Crescent colors are all hand-dyed and the actual colors will vary.

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Step 2

Find a DMC color chart. These are much more common than Crescent colors because DMC is a larger company. DMC uses numbers to designate its colors and the color numbers are arbitrary. There are more than 450 DMC colors, so look for a chart that groups the colors by like colors rather than by numerical order. DMC does not officially name its floss colors, so any names that might appear on a color chart from a certain group or company are useful but arbitrary.

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Step 3

Compare the colors on the Crescent chart to those on the DMC chart. It is impossible to get an exact match, so choose a color that seems close and appeals to your personal tastes. Write down the DMC number that most closely resembles the Crescent color you want to match.

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