Tips on leveling Leatherworking?

[Kletian]

Learn mining ~18 to get your own Alumen from East Thanalan. You'll need it to do your tanning once you hit your 20s in Leatherworking.

Soon you stop getting useful skins from 80% of the enemies and must target Aldgoats (east Thanalan) and Gigantoads (East La Noscea) for your materials. If you aren't spending your leves for exp yet, start doing so now, HQ turn ins are Triple the reward. You can also save your rested exp for crafting before doing more gear runs with your 50 battle class.

+Control/+Craftmanship/+CP gear is going to be very useful in getting HQs and thus better exp. You can buy stuff from vendors but you can also craft some yourself, and others as Weavers and Carpenters.

Quick Synthing gives you a fraction of the exp even normal mashing of basic synthesis does. Increasing quality of object increases EXP rewarded even if it comes out normal, a HQ result gives maximum exp regardless of how high your HQ chance was.

Depending on whether you run out of durability or CP first, using the durability return/saving skills isn't a blind yes for each craft.

When the item status is normal or poor, raise it's progress unless it'll finish early or break; when good or excellent, use a Touch to get a larger boost of quality than normal. If the status is normal and you must Touch, use steady hand to keep the success chance high.

Remember that skills that benefit "Next X steps" still count down when using abilities that don't lower durability.

[JayCommon]

Increasing quality of object increases EXP rewarded even if it comes out normal, a HQ result gives maximum exp regardless of how high your HQ chance was.

Everything you said was awesome advice except for this. This isn't true. HQ doesn't mean you get the maximum amount of xp gain from the item, it only adds the extra 100%. I have tested it, if you use full HQ mats for a synth you get 50% of the quality bar to start with. On low level stuff you can try for yourself. The amount of quality YOU actually add to the item does keep increasing after your HQ requirement is met for said synth.

Basic example (don't quote the figures I'm talking in general)

Leather - with HQ mats to begin with, getting 100% HQ chance gives +203%xp

Leather - with regular mats and getting 100% HQ chance gives 298%xp

It adds up, and is better for your xp boost to try and craft HQ without HQ mats.

[Kletian]

My mistake then, I must have had a HQ mat throw off my initial observation. Yes, the quality added increases the exp.