Full Official List of Discontinued DMC Threads

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This Post Has 92 Comments

1. 

   Catherine 21/02/2021 Reply

   I’m curious – were the variegated colors 4000 – 4265 really discontinued in the UK? They are very much available in the US (and quite popular, I might add).

   1. 

      LordLibidan 22/02/2021 Reply

      It’s not all of the range only some, and they’re discontinued in both Europe and the US. However, it appears that I’ve included 4000 on this list which is incorrect. Thanks for prodding me!

2. 

   Joan Adams 25/01/2021 Reply

   no big deal choose your own colors you dont have to follow a pattern to the t ever

3. 

   Vicky Schmitt 07/01/2021 Reply

   I recently bought some second hand floss (from someone’s grandmother), and I’m at loss to find what colors some of them are! For example, I have two dark blues that look really old – the labels are completely different, thin paper (number stamped on?), but they do say DMC on them – but I can’t find a reference to the numbers (429 and 515) anywhere! Is there anywhere I could find more info? Thanks! 😀

   1. 

      LordLibidan 07/01/2021 Reply

      That’s odd.
      DMC has never used the codes 429 or 515. There are embroidery thread brands that have, but 515 is a Trebla yellow/gold.
      DMC did use to have paper wrappers, but the bit that says “DMC” has always been plastic (before they were on spools rather than skeins). So it sounds like someone has added aftermarket labels, or incorrectly coded them.
      Find out what colors these are will take a lot of work though sadly. Until you know the real brand, it will be VERY hard to work out.

      1. 

         CK 25/01/2021

         Really really old DMC labels were printed on paper. DMC have only started using plastic in the past 15 years.
         I have original DMC threads from the 1980s with paper labels on both the number and the label side.

   2. 

      crazyjane 22/01/2021 Reply

      I also have some very very old Anchor threads and unnamed bits and bobs (bought from charity shops). One of these days I will buy a printer with a scanner, load them a few at a time onto the plate, take a picture and run it through my ancient (2002) cross-stitch software – which only does Anchor threads very well and I don’t have a full set of them, only DMC – well up to the last new issue, which have even weirder numbers! It might be a long job, luckily I retire soon. I have particular difficulty differentiating the very pale ones, also the light flesh tones. Once did a picture where my substitutes worked fine for the face but the hands were so wrong I had to take it all out and redo it

4. 

   Nancy Humbert 25/11/2020 Reply

   Can you please tell me why there is not a list of DMC numbers along with their names put out by DMC. I used to get lists quite often (free in stores) and they were spot on. No duplicate names etc. I can not find a list any more. The ones they have listed on line have many mistakes, duplicate names, color (989) not made any more, and many more mistakes. One person said she researched the colors and numbers for months. Why didn’t she see the mistakes? Do you know where I can get a list that is correct?

   1. 

      LordLibidan 25/11/2020 Reply

      Hi Nancy,
      Firstly, there is not an official DMC names list at all. The lists you used to get were probably put out by retailers on behalf of DMC. As the internet started to grow the list of threads became easier to get hold of and many retailers decided to stop creating the lists themselves. However, due to DMCs odd process of changing numbers, discontinuing threads and creating new ones with odd numbers, this got confusing fast. This resulted in lots of random rumors starting.
      The first is the names. As I said before DMC doesn’t have official names, so people came up with their own. As new threads came out, names were sometimes duplicated. In addition some people call “dark brown” one number, and other people think its called “medium brown”. I would choose just one list of thread names and stick with that list.
      The second set of rumors included discontinued threads. For example, color 989 is still produced.

      In order to solve this issue, we decided to make an update a list of all standard DMC 6 strand threads, which you can find here: https://lordlibidan.com/dmc-thread-inventory-spreadsheet/
      We speak directly with DMC and regularly update to make sure its as accurate as possible. I hope it helps!

      1. 

         April 11/02/2021

         Wow. Amazing. You’re fabulous. Thank you.

5. 

   Nancy Humbert 25/11/2020 Reply

   I am told there is no DMC floss number 868. Was there ever one with this number? Also can you please explain why the DMC numbers are so messed up. I can understand when new numbers are added they can not alway be right next to the old number of the same color family. But why have they skipped so many numbers. Going right from the 900’s to 3000’s. From 3600 to 3700 It seems ridiculous. DMC told me they followed the square and round AB. (I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of them). But they are a little drop of a bead type thing that is used in place of thread for stitching. But that does not make any sense since DMC has been on the market for a lot longer.

   1. 

      LordLibidan 25/11/2020 Reply

      DMC thread 868 used to be made, but it was replaced with 801. It’s a dark brown, similar to 898.
      There has never been an explanation for why the numbers are so weird on DMC, but there is a good guess. Initially, DMC designed lots of thread colors, but decided not to sell some of them, meaning there are gaps between 0 and 996.
      In regards to why some have 3XXX as a number system, this is due to the factory they were made in; initially, all threads were made in France, but when a US factory opened, they made new colors, to signify the US colors they were required to be part of the 3000+ series. When the US factory shut and France started producing all the threads, they kept the numbers. No one knows why the numbers jump from 3011 to 3895 so quickly though. I’m still trying to find the answer to that myself!
      The square and round thing is about the manufacturing process. In France they make the ‘hanks’ of thread on a “square-n-round”. You can see a video of the French DMC here. I’ve been told that the US factory made their threads differently, using a “round-n-round”, however I’ve never been able to confirm this. However, maybe that’s why the old US threads have the 3000 names…