Whereas the significance and potential impacts of messiness in mixed methods research have been well acknowledged, the literature on mixed methods research has accumulated few examples of engaging and navigating mess. This article provides an account of the nitty-gritty of messiness and its consequences during the process of mixed methods research. By applying the 'craft attitude' and a socio-ecological framework for mixed methods research to a mixed methods case study, I demonstrate how my embracing of research messiness through the craft attitude exemplifies the interconnectedness of the personal, interpersonal and social contexts. This article contributes to knowledge by proposing a new way to conceptualize mess in mixed methods research through the integration of the craft attitude within the socio-ecological framework for mixed methods research.