Machine Embroidery Thread Color Charts (Master List)

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Whether you need a specific embroidery thread hue for your next project or just want to catalog color possibilities within your favorite thread brand, machine embroidery thread color charts can be beneficial. 

Not to mention, if you run an embroidery business, charts with thread samples are easier to show clients desiring custom colors than showing them your whole thread rack!

Thread color charts can be downloaded online and printed or purchased as a physical copy with thread swatches. Thankfully, they are easy to find for most major embroidery thread brands–check out this master list! 

Machine Embroidery Thread Color Charts

Printable color charts are more plentiful than physical charts, but looking at color charts on your device can give a false color representation. Not to mention, an uncalibrated printer can also miss hitting the perfect shade. 

If you just want to put thread colors with names and numbers, then a printable chart is all you need. However, if you need perfection with your embroidery thread color codes, you may be better off buying a chart with swatches from the manufacturer or your favorite embroidery store. 

These charts are not to be confused with embroidery thread color conversion charts, which help convert one thread brand to the closest color in a different thread brand. 

Aurifil Thread Color Charts

Aurifil’s website has pdf color charts from their cotton threads (including variegated thread) and the official RGB values for their embroidery thread colors. You can also purchase a physical chart with thread samples at Amazon.

While Aurifil doesn’t technically make machine embroidery thread, that doesn’t mean you can’t use their threads in your embroidery machine for specific projects. 

Brother Embroidery Thread

The best Brother thread color chart for their Pacesetter, Country, Simplicity PRO, etc., threads I can find is their thread conversion chart for their most popular colors. This is a bummer because I have the 100-pack of Brother Pacesetter embroidery threads that I love to use and would love a printable chart for. 

Coats and Clark Embroidery Thread

The Coats website features product info, a shade card, and an embroidery sample book in PDF for their Coats Sylko trilobal polyester machine embroidery thread. 

DMC Embroidery Thread

While DMC is more known for its hand embroidery floss, they also make machine embroidery thread. Lord Libidan has created a printable option for finding a DMC color chart, as has Embroideries. You can buy a printed color card for DMC embroidery thread as well.

To browse DMC’s selection of dedicated machine embroidery threads, select each color on their page dedicated to machine embroidery threads. 

Embroidex Thread

My Embroidex embroidery threads came with the above color card. However, if you check out their Amazon listing for their 63 spool set, you can find the above larger range color chart in one of the additional photos. 

Exquisite Thread

Previously Poly-X40, Exquisite threads are produced by Designs in Machine Embroidery. You can download dime’s Exquisite thread color conversion chart, which includes a printable thread color at the end. 

If you prefer a physical copy with actual threads, Sew For Less carries this product. 

Floriani Embroidery Thread

RNK Distributing has a great-quality PDF Floriani Color Chart, which includes thread numbers, color names, RGB, and PMS (Pantone Matching System) values for their range of threads. 

Glide Thread

You can download a digital Glide Color Card from the hab+dash website. Or, you can purchase a physical Glide thread chart from Metro Embroidery Supplies.

Gutermann Thread

You can purchase a Gutermann Mara sewing thread chart from WAWAK, which contains 400 thread strands and printed visuals of thread colors. You can also download the Gutermann thread chart for their Mara thread. 

The closest Gutermann thread color chart for their rayon and machine embroidery thread is from My Stitch World. 

Iris Embroidery Thread

 This printable Iris Ultra Brite Polyester embroidery thread color chart provides color numbers, names, and Pantone matches. 

Isacord Thread

Embroidery Online has a helpful PDF Isacord thread color chart. Isacord’s website has a slightly different thread color card, which is the PDF version of the actual card that includes thread swatches and can be purchased on Amazon. 

Madeira Thread

Superior Image has a printable PDF Madeira Rayon Color Chart, which includes Madeira’s multi-color and astro-color threads. Madeira’s website also has a PDF Madeira Polyneon Color Chart matching Madeira numbers to colors and names. 

You can buy Madeira thread color charts from the Madeira website. (The options include Polyneon, Pantone, Rayon, Metallic, Soft Touch, Fire Fighter, and more.)

Marathon Embroidery Thread

You can download the Marathon Rayon Thread Chart or buy it from Marathon. You can also download their Polyester Thread Chart as well as buy it. 

Mettler Embroidery Thread

Mettler’s website includes their Mettler Poly Sheen shade thread card. It’s not in English, but that shouldn’t matter much if you only want to match shades with thread numbers. 

Metro Thread

You can download Metro’s printable color chart or purchase a physical color card from the Metro website. 

New Brothread Color Cards and Charts

If you visit New Brothread’s website, you can find color charts if you scroll through the pictures. Brothread uses the same numbering system as Brother and Embroidex threads. 

Robison-Anton Embroidery Thread Colors

You can buy a Super Strength Rayon Robison-Anton color chart on Amazon (no threads included). Or, a polyester Rayon-Anton color card is available from The Thread Exchange.

There’s also a complete Robison-Anton embroidery threads book from American & Efird that contains color charts for Robison-Anton Super Brite Polyester and Super Strength Rayon threads. 

Royal Thread

You can request Royal thread shade cards from the Royal Embroidery site for their most popular thread lines.

Ameth/Salus Rayon Threads

Sessa Textile has a polyester embroidery thread color chart to look at. 

Simthread Threads

Simthread has different naming schemes depending on which pack you buy (Brother, Janome, or Madeira.) If you head to Simthread’s website, you can buy color cards for each of their solid color lines and metallic and variegated threads. Or, you can print the image from their Amazon listing for the thread set you own. 

Sulky Embroidery Threads

Gunold’s website has a printable thread color card for Sulky Rayon embroidery threads. 

Superior Threads

While not as often used for machine embroidery, Superior Threads still have a place in my craft room. You can buy all their color cards from their website (and enlarge photos for visual inspection.)

ThreadArt Thread Colors

ThreadArt provides their RGB and Pantone values for each thread color and numbers, names, and colors for their machine embroidery threads. 

ThreadNanny Color Charts

Most ThreadNanny threads use Brother embroidery numbers, so you can refer to the Brother embroidery color charts when using ThreadNanny. (Or, Embroidex or New Brothread.)

A Helpful App for Other Brands

If you need a different brand and can’t find their color chart online, I recommend checking out the app ThreadBook. 

It’s not free, but it has hundreds of thread manufacturers in its thread library, and it can convert from one pretty obscure brand to another, if needed.

Any machine embroidery thread color charts that I’m missing? Or other resources you’ve found that are better than the ones I’ve linked? Let me know!