DMC 561 — Very Dark Jade

DMC 561 Very Dark Jade — Gemstone Richness in Every Stitch

Jade has been carved and treasured for over 7,000 years, prized across cultures from ancient China to pre-Columbian Mesoamerica for its beauty, toughness, and spiritual significance. DMC 561 takes its name from the darker varieties of this gemstone — the deep, slightly blue-tinged green of imperial jade, the most valued variety in Chinese tradition. Stitching with 561 means working with a color that carries millennia of cultural weight.

What separates jade green from other dark greens is its particular blend of warmth and coolness. Look at the hex (#2E7050) and you will see green dominant, but with enough blue to create that characteristic jade coolness without becoming teal. Compare it to DMC 500 (Very Dark Blue Green), which pushes further toward blue, or DMC 699 (Christmas Green), which stays purely green. Jade sits between them — cooler than forest green, warmer than teal, occupying its own distinctive space.

In cross stitch design, this cultural and visual specificity matters. Asian-inspired patterns — Chinese landscapes, Japanese garden scenes, motifs drawn from silk embroidery traditions — call for jade green because it references the material culture those designs emerged from. A bamboo grove stitched in 561 feels authentic in a way it would not in Kelly Green or Forest Green.

But jade green is not limited to Asian-inspired work. The shade has found a home in contemporary interior design palettes, where deep jade walls and accessories pair with brass, blush pink, and warm wood tones. Cross stitch projects designed to complement modern decor can use 561 as a sophisticated anchor color — it reads as intentional and curated rather than craft-room casual.

Technically, 561 is part of the jade family that includes DMC 562 (Medium Jade) and DMC 563 (Light Jade). The three together create a graduated sequence ideal for shading gemstone motifs, curved surfaces, and any design element that needs to read as smooth and dimensional. The family has a distinctive character that sets it apart from the blue-green (500 series) and the teal ranges — slightly warmer, slightly more organic.

For stitchers working on mixed-media projects, 561 pairs surprisingly well with metallic gold threads. The jade-and-gold combination echoes centuries of decorative art, from Chinese lacquerware to Art Deco jewelry, giving your work a luxurious quality that plain green and gold cannot achieve.