Skin Tones — DMC Color Palette Guide

Getting skin tones right is one of the trickiest parts of cross-stitch portraiture and figure work. Use too few shades and faces look flat. Use the wrong undertones and skin looks grey or orange. This guide organizes the best DMC colors for flesh tones by value — from the lightest highlights to the deepest shadows — so you can build natural-looking skin in any complexion.

Very Light / Highlights

DMC Blanc White
DMC Ecru Ecru
DMC 948 Very Light Peach
DMC 754 Light Peach
DMC 3770 Very Light Tawny

Light Skin Tones

DMC 951 Light Tawny
DMC 945 Tawny
DMC 3774 Very Light Desert Sand
DMC 758 Very Light Terra Cotta
DMC 3064 Desert Sand

Medium Skin Tones

DMC 3773 Desert Sand
DMC 407 Medium Cocoa
DMC 3772 Very Dark Desert Sand
DMC 356 Medium Terra Cotta
DMC 3778 Light Terra Cotta

Dark Skin Tones

DMC 3830 Terra Cotta
DMC 3862 Dark Mocha Beige
DMC 3863 Medium Mocha Beige
DMC 632 Ultra Very Dark Desert Sand
DMC 801 Dark Coffee Brown

Deep / Shadow Tones

DMC 938 Ultra Dark Coffee Brown
DMC 3371 Black Brown
DMC 898 Very Dark Coffee Brown
DMC 3031 Very Dark Mocha Brown
DMC 3021 Very Dark Brown Gray

Tips for Using This Palette

  • • Always work with at least 4-5 shades for realistic skin — a highlight, two midtones, a shadow, and a deep shadow.
  • • Add a touch of pink or peach (like DMC 754 or 3774) to highlights for warmth. Pure white highlights look unnatural.
  • • For rosy cheeks, blend DMC 3778 or 356 into your midtone palette.
  • • Test your palette on a scrap piece before committing — skin colors look different stitched than they do on the skein.

Thread conversions are approximate — always compare a small stitched sample when switching brands. See individual color pages for full Anchor, Madeira, Cosmo, and Sullivans equivalents.

Get the Free Conversion Chart

Enter your email and get a printable DMC to Anchor conversion chart with all 540 colors — free.

No spam. Your email is stored securely and never shared.