How to Organize DMC Floss by Number

Understanding DMC's Numbering System

Before you can organize your floss numerically, it helps to understand that DMC numbers are not a clean sequential color spectrum. They're a combination of historical catalog numbers, acquisition numbers (when DMC bought other brands), and new additions. The upshot: organizing purely by number does not produce a rainbow — it produces a slightly chaotic but internally consistent system that most experienced stitchers still prefer over color-based organization.

Here's a rough guide to what lives in each number range:

For the full picture, browse our color family categories — each family groups DMC colors by hue regardless of number, making it easy to see what you have and what you're missing.

Method 1: Plastic Bobbins in a Numbered Box

This is the most popular DMC organization method by far, and for good reason — it's visual, tactile, space-efficient, and lets you scan your whole collection at once.

The system works by winding your floss onto pre-labeled plastic or cardboard bobbins, then storing those bobbins in a divided plastic box sorted by DMC number. Shallow floss boxes with roughly 50–60 slots per box work best. You typically need 5–7 boxes to hold a complete DMC collection (which runs to around 500 colors).

Key tips for the bobbin system:

• Write the DMC number on both sides of the bobbin — visible no matter which way it faces
• Leave a 6-inch tail hanging from the bobbin so you can pull thread without unrolling
• Use pre-numbered bobbins (available in sets on Amazon) rather than writing by hand — saves hours
• Store bobbins with empty slots for numbers you don't yet own — it's easier to "fill the gap" than reorganize later

Browse floss bobbin organizer kits on Amazon. (affiliate link)

Method 2: Binder Cards (The Archivist Approach)

Binder cards are a less common but extremely satisfying method. You thread a short length of each color through a hole punch card (or buy pre-made floss cards), write the DMC number alongside, and store them in a 3-ring binder in numeric order. The result looks like a professional thread manufacturer's sample book.

This system is better for cataloging what you own than for actually stitching from. You don't wind your full skeins onto cards — you keep a 6-inch reference snippet on the card and store the actual floss on bobbins or in bags elsewhere. The binder becomes your visual inventory system.

The advantage: flipping through a binder of color snippets in numeric order is the fastest way to check "do I have this color?" without opening boxes. The disadvantage: it's double the storage — you need both the binder and your bobbin boxes.

For the serious collector, a floss journal combining binder cards with a checklist of all 500 DMC colors is a worthwhile investment. Read our deep-dive on floss organization systems for a full comparison with photos.

Method 3: Zip-Lock Bags by Number Range

If you're not ready to invest in bobbins and boxes, small zip-lock bags organized by number range is a valid entry-level system. Group your floss into 50-number ranges (1–50, 51–100, etc.), label each bag, and store them in a larger container.

This system is fast to set up and costs almost nothing, but has obvious drawbacks: skeins tangle inside bags, finding a specific number requires rummaging, and the system gets messy quickly as your collection grows. It works well for small collections (under 100 colors) or for storing project-specific thread kits separately from your main collection.

Many stitchers use this hybrid: main collection on bobbins in numbered boxes, current project threads in labeled zip bags for easy transport.

Method 4: Digital Inventory + Physical Stash

Whatever physical system you use, maintaining a digital inventory transforms your collection from a pile of thread into a searchable database. You'll never buy duplicates again, and you can check your stash from a store without hauling your boxes along.

The easiest approach: a simple spreadsheet with columns for DMC number, color name, quantity on hand, and notes (e.g., "running low," "bought for Christmas sampler"). Sort by DMC number and you have an instant inventory list.

For a more visual approach, apps like Stitch Fiddle and PC Stitch include built-in floss inventory management that lets you check colors off a master DMC list as you acquire them. Cross-stitch forums also share shareable spreadsheet templates — searching "DMC floss inventory spreadsheet" in any major cross-stitch community will surface dozens of ready-to-use options.

Use our color search to look up any DMC number and get its name, hex value, and brand equivalents — useful for filling out your inventory spreadsheet without digging out every physical skein.

Winding Bobbins: The Right Way

The biggest mistake new organizers make is winding the entire skein onto one bobbin before separating it. DMC floss is a 6-strand thread and can be used at 1–3 strands. If you wind it unseparated and then try to pull individual strands later, the thread tangles and frays.

Correct approach: pull the full skein off its wrapper but do not untwist it. Cut the looped end to create a bundle of equal-length strands. Then wind this bundle onto the bobbin as-is. When you need thread for a project, pull a single strand cleanly from the bundle at the top. It separates easily and stays tangle-free.

This also keeps the full DMC label information intact — the paper band with the color number stays with the bobbin so you always know what you have. Some stitchers staple or tape the label band to the back of the bobbin for permanent reference.

Organizing Your Project Thread Separately

Once you start a project, pull all the required colors from your main stash and put them together in a dedicated project container — a small lidded tin, a zip bag, or a project box. This prevents searching through your whole collection mid-session and keeps project threads from getting mixed back into the general stash while the project is in progress.

Label your project container with the project name and any relevant notes (fabric count, needle size, start date). When the project is finished, return unused threads to the main stash or keep them together as a "leftovers kit" for future small projects.

Use our color comparison tool when sourcing threads for a new project — it shows which colors have good brand substitutes in case a specific DMC number is out of stock.