I think that the LQS should be informed about this work. I think the LAQ'er should be informed about her sloppy work. It doesn't matter whether your niece likes it or not, it doesn't matter what the LQS thinks. It matter what you think!!!!! If'n it were me, I would inform the LQS about her shoddy work (new at LAQ'ing or not) and demand your money back and you should be paid for having to take out the stitches). You know, we sit there and sew something very very special for a niece, or a mother or a sister or brother or friend or special neighbor, whatever. We put our love into it, we put our time into it, we put our heart in to it and to have someone completely annhilate a beautiful piece of work is totally unacceptable. I wouldn't wash it and "hope" that it would look better. It probably won't and then it'll be twice as hard to remove the stitching and besides which the shop and the quilter should see what it looks like before you do anything to it. I am not being nasty by any means. I am standing up for YOU and the work YOU put into to it and the anticipation YOU had waiting to see how it was going to turn out and the sadness and anger YOU felt when you did see it.
I do not put up with that kind of work and I do not accept that kind of work. You have learned a lesson from all of this. But you shouldn't have had to.
I would take the quilt back to the LQS, show it to them, tell them what you expect them to do as far as recommending her as a quilter. I would take the quilt back to the LAQ'er and tell her that you want your money back because it is sloppy, shoddy (and from the pictures it is - no quilt should look like that) and that she has to pay you for having to take all the stitches out and take it to another LAQ'er because you don't want her to touch it!
My quilts (the ones I make - whether they are for our home or for gifts) are made with love. I have such good feelings when I make them. No one has the right to take that away from me and it sure looks like the quilter did it to you.
If you are angry with the woman tell her, don't be wishy-washy. This was a very important quilt for you to make as well as give. You lost the true joy of giving of this quilt and you probably may not get that feeling back unless you totally make everything right for YOU.
I hope you are able to get the stitching out, because I do truly feel that this could become a gorgeous quilt and a loved quilt, but to think you have to make another one and use the original as a dog bed is soooo sad!
I don't apologize for being blunt. I apologize for carrying on. I do that when I feel that someone is hurting and there isn't a whole heckuva lot I can do, except vent my spleen, which I do think I did a pretty darn good job of doing - spleen venting, that is!
Do what your heart tells you to do, but come out of it feeling good about it.
Edie