DMC 817 to Sullivans: Thread Conversion

Sullivans 45219 is a close match for DMC 817 Very Dark Coral Red. For autumn designs where 817 provides the deepest, most saturated red tones in fall foliage — the vivid warm red of a maple leaf at peak color, paired with copper and brown threads for multi-hued autumn rendering — Sullivans 45219 should capture the warm, orange-leaning dark red character adequately for most practical applications. The specific warmth of the thread — the quality that makes it read as coral-red-dark rather than garnet-dark or wine-dark — is worth comparing in hand against your lighter coral and warm-red palette threads before committing to large autumn fill areas. As with very dark saturated reds generally, dye lot consistency matters: purchasing multiple skeins from the same lot is advisable for any design where 817 fills large leaf areas, since subtle lot-to-lot variation in deep saturated reds can read as color inconsistency across the leaf areas when the finished piece is viewed at normal distance. For backstitch outlining applications where 817’s warm undertone is the technique’s defining quality, the exact-rated Madeira 0211 is the more reliable choice. For general warm-dark-red accent and fill use in modest quantities, Sullivans 45219 provides a practical working substitute in most conditions.