did I just fudge up MQ or can I salvage
 

On last part of ranger epic, paid 3k for color sphere MQ. I had player turn in item then I turned in item, only to find out it was a situation where she takes the hammer and gives you "dwarf hammer" back that you then turn in with the mq.

so she gave dialog for turn in mq part, but then I gave her turn in for previous step. Would this interrupt the MQ process?

Pretty sure it would, yes.