make a silk purse of a sow's ear

Etymology
Coined by in 1579 in the book The Ephemerides of Phialo: Deuided Into Three Bookes p62v

Verb

 * 1)  To produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

Usage notes

 * Often expressed in the proverbial form: you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear.

Translations

 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin: 化腐朽為神奇
 * Finnish: tehdä jotain hyödyllistä
 * German:
 * Italian: cavare sangue da una rapa, cavar sangue da una rapa
 * Russian: сде́лать из дерьма́ конфе́тку