make a pig's ear of

make a pig's ear of (something)

To do a very poor job of something; to ruin something completely. Primarily heard in UK. I'm going to need to start this table over again from scratch—I really made a pig's ear of it. Janet made a pig's ear of the Jefferson account, so I'm going to need you to come in at the weekend and put things in order.
See also: ear, make, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

make a pig's ear of

bungle; make a mess of. British informal
This probably developed with humorous reference to the phrase make a silk purse out of a sow's ear (see silk).
See also: ear, make, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a ghost at the feast
  • a horse of another
  • a horse of another color
  • a horse of another colour
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
  • a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
  • a crack at (someone or something)
  • all right
References in periodicals archive
He would have been better employed reaching for the Chambers dictionary, which confirms that 'to make a pig's ear of (something)' means 'to make a mess of something' or 'to do something badly or clumsily'.
Don't make a pig's ear of it