Understanding the DMC Color Chart for Diamond Painting

When you purchase a Diamond Art Club® kit, each color of resin diamond comes in an individual bag. And on that bag, there is a number. This number can also be found on the symbol chart that lets you know which color of “diamond” drill corresponds with each symbol on your canvas.

Have you ever wondered what those numbers mean?

They most definitely are not chosen at random. In fact, the drills used in every Diamond Art Club® kit are identified and labeled using DMC color codes, which correspond with various colors of embroidery floss. In this blog post, we’re going to help you better understand the DMC color chart for diamond painting and why we use it for our diamond art kits. Let’s go!

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What Is DMC? 

DMC, or Dollfus-Mieg and Company, is a French establishment that opened for business in 1746. It is most widely known for producing the floss used in embroidery and yarn used for knitting and crochet. In addition to solid colors, DMC offers beautiful, variegated yarn and embroidery thread. This company’s floss is the most highly recommended brand in the world, so it is extremely well-known among cross-stitchers and other fiber artists. Mention DMC thread to anyone who enjoys embroidery, and they will know exactly what you are talking about. They may even be able to rattle off the DMC code for their favorite floss color.

Today, DMC is a leader in the handicrafts market. Its products are of the highest quality and have withstood the test of time. With more than 240 years of history, it is a testament to their good business practices and unwavering commitment to quality.

What Is a DMC Color Chart?

A DMC color chart is simply a chart that shows each color beside its corresponding number code. The chart also includes the color’s name. Please note, however, that while the number codes are always the same, the names may vary from one chart to another. Names are helpful in that they can provide a short description for each color and make it easier to divide embroidery floss into color families, but they are not as reliable as the number codes. 

How Are the DMC Colors for Floss Used for Diamond Painting?

Here at Diamond Art Club®, we manufacture our diamond drills to match the DMC numbers used to identify the various embroidery floss colors. In other words, if you have a pack of pink diamond drills with the color code 605, you could go to a craft store and purchase DMC embroidery floss in color code 605, and it would be the exact same color as the drills. Whether you need a few skeins of thread to stitch a design on aida cloth or some diamond drills to complete a painting, you can use DMC codes to locate exactly what you need. How cool is that?! DMC codes are universal, too, meaning that you can buy DMC thread or yarn anywhere in the world using the same numbers.

In total, there are 489 numbers on the U.S. DMC website which are used to organize and lable nearly every color imaginable. However, this number does not include threads exclusive to certain regions. Chances are, you won’t see DMC codes for certain specialty products, including Coloris, Etoile, Light Effects and Color Variations, in any of your diamond painting kits since these codes aren’t assigned to “normal” DMC colors.

When you look at your Diamond Art Club® canvas, you will see a key that assigns a DMC number to each symbol. This lets you know which color of diamond drill to anchor in place in the corresponding spot on the chart. All you need to do from there is find the bag of beads with the right number and put them where they belong. 

There are usually some beads left when you finish a diamond painting. Thanks to DMC codes, you can store them with ease. And you won’t have to worry about having separate containers for each color from multiple kits. Beads with the same code are the same color throughout all of our kits, though very slight variations can occur as a result of different batches, manufacturing processes, etc. 

Why Do We Use DMC Color Numbers? 

One of the reasons we use DMC codes to create our kits is because it simply makes sense. There are already hundreds of colors with corresponding DMC numbers. Rather than coming up with a proprietary system for identifying colors by number, it makes logical sense to use this existing, standardized system to identify the various colors of diamond drills. Many people who enjoy crafting do more than one type of project. Since diamond painting is similar to cross-stitch, there is a large overlap between diamond painters and cross-stitchers. Many folks who enjoy diamond painting, also like doing hand embroidery, quilting, needlepoint and other crafts that require embroidery thread or yarn. By using the same codes to identify colors, we prevent crafters from needing to learn two different systems.

Also, DMC numbers are universal. While “light pink” may refer to an endless array of pink hues, DMC-605 will always refer to the same color, so you don’t need to worry about drastic variations. This makes it much easier to source additional diamonds if you need more of a specific color. It also allows you to keep your extra drills and use them for future projects. It is important to note, however, there could be very slight variations due to different dye lots and changes in the manufacturing process. 

The DMC Color Chart for Diamond Painting

The DMC color chart, or color card, for diamond painting is much like the one for embroidery floss. The main difference, though, is the chart for diamond painting features close-up images of extra rhinestones that can be used to determine what color you have. These charts can be downloaded or purchased online, or you can make your own using the beads you have in your collection.

Making Your Own DMC Color Card

Making your own DMC color card is an excellent way to keep track of which colors you own. Trust us — it will come in handy and quickly become one of your favorite diamond painting tools if you ever accidentally spill your diamond drills or mix them up! To make your chart, just glue a diamond on a piece of paper next to its DMC number. Every time you get a kit containing a color you didn’t already have, add it to your chart. Easy peasy! 

You can also use your DMC color chart to cross-reference diamonds from other companies that don’t use DMC numbers. While many brands have embraced this system, some have their own systems for numbering their colors. With a DMC color chart, you can compare the drills from these other brands and determine which DMC number they correspond with.

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Closing Thoughts

When learning how to diamond paint, things like DMC color charts might seem confusing and overwhelming. The good news, though, is they are actually quite simple — even if you are unfamiliar with DMC thread colors and codes. DMC numbers are just an easy way of labeling colors and distinguishing between similar shades of the same color. Understanding the DMC color chart for diamond painting is a breeze once you’ve gotten the hang of it.