I think if you'd suggested she take it to an Alterations shop, they would have repaired it and not made a comment. Quilts shops aren't the place to go if you need repairs. Most shops don't have any "experts" on staff, just a bunch of people that think they know it because they work there. My experience - I've got more actual sewing time in than they do.
I've been in a quilt shop when someone has brought in a quilt that someone else made with questions, and the shop people have been super critical of the quilting and suggested it all be taken out and they would redo it with an allover computerized design. So of course the redo would look near perfect because a machine is doing it (I have an LA with a computer so that is not a critical remark).
I've seen the exact same shop people gush over a quilt a customer has made themselves and done their own quilting, that had much worse work done, but they aren't going to tell someone that buys their fabric from them that they are a poor quilter.