DMC 498 — Dark Red

DMC 498 Dark Red: Wine, Garnet, and Old-World Elegance

There's a reason wine colors never go out of style. DMC 498 is the cross-stitch equivalent of a deep Cabernet — rich, complex, and sophisticated. At hex #9B0022, it occupies that gorgeous territory between true red and burgundy, dark enough to suggest luxury but saturated enough to still register as decidedly red rather than brown or maroon.

This is a color with history. In traditional embroidery from the 17th and 18th centuries, deep reds like this were among the most prized colors because the dyes required to produce them (kermes, cochineal, madder) were expensive and labor-intensive. DMC 498 channels that heritage. It looks at home in period reproduction samplers, Jacobean crewelwork-inspired designs, and Tudor-era motifs. When you want your stitching to evoke candlelit manor houses and velvet drapes, 498 is your starting point.

In color theory terms, 498 is a low-value, high-saturation red with a strong blue undertone. That blue base is what gives it its garnet quality and distinguishes it from brownish dark reds. It pairs naturally with golds (DMC 3820, 3852), deep greens (DMC 890, 3345), and creams (DMC Ecru, 712) — essentially the palette of a Renaissance painting.

Practical uses extend well beyond historical themes. DMC 498 is the go-to for stitching red wine in a glass, garnets and rubies in jewelry designs, dark roses past their peak bloom, and autumn maple leaves at their deepest. It provides the shadow tone in many red-gradient palettes, serving as the dark anchor alongside DMC 321 (mid-tone) and DMC 666 (highlight).

One quality that makes 498 interesting to work with: it reads very differently on light versus dark fabrics. On white Aida, it looks obviously red. On cream or tan linen, it shifts toward burgundy. On black fabric, it practically glows like a gemstone. Consider your fabric color as part of the design when working with this shade.