good game, but can't proceed without leveling crafting :<

[Asurastrike]

As I hit level 21, I got this quest "life, materia and everything" which requires me to have a lvl19 crafting skill to proceed. I've never been a big fan of crafting in any game and was obliged to level up"weaver". I pretty much lost the majority of my interest to continue at this point, and when I finally got it to level 10 after two days, I was shocked to find that I needed a gathering skill to get cotten balls, which is needed for crafting. I was reluctant when I had to level up crafting and now I really really REALLY don't want to level up gathering. I'm so stuck and lost the urge to play. I hope the dev will remove this quest in the future.

[Yoona]

This is f'd beyond believe despite all else of garbage I've seen on this game since ARR.

This is the new generation of players. I can't be bothered to spend a few minutes of effort to find out/learn about anything. I can't request melds. I can't just buy materials. Nope, I can't do no nothing unless people hand it all to me. I got stuck at the very beginning of the game and I'm going to whine to the community about it. The devs need to change the game all for me.

Are you real?

[Mhaeric]

As I hit level 21, I got this quest "life, materia and everything" which requires me to have a lvl19 crafting skill to proceed. I've never been a big fan of crafting in any game and was obliged to level up"weaver". I pretty much lost the majority of my interest to continue at this point, and when I finally got it to level 10 after two days, I was shocked to find that I needed a gathering skill to get cotten balls, which is needed for crafting. I was reluctant when I had to level up crafting and now I really really REALLY don't want to level up gathering. I'm so stuck and lost the urge to play. I hope the dev will remove this quest in the future.

There isn't a quest that requires a level 19 crafting class in order to progress the story. There is a quest about creating materia that requires a level 19 combat class. The materia attaching quest you are referring to that is located next to the one you need is entirely optional.

[Krazarian]

You don't have to level any crafting to proceed in story or lvling in this game.

Only if want to meld materia you can do that quest, but if not you can have any crafter meld items for you. Probably won't want to do that till get to 50 and get lvl 70 gear crafted.

[Asurastrike]

This is the new generation of players. I can't be bothered to spend a few minutes of effort to find out/learn about anything. I can't request melds. I can't just buy materials. Nope, I can't do no nothing unless people hand it all to me. I got stuck at the very beginning of the game and I'm going to whine to the community about it. The devs need to change the game all for me.

Are you real?

Why so angry? After all the purpose of playing is to enjoy. Why do something that I simply don't enjoy? And I don't even have the right to rant? Are you the forum admin?
I'm quite the opposite of "new generation". I played warcraft 3, starcraft and WoW competitively and professionally. I've been the most geared, rated and wealthiest player and now I just want to take a break from competitive and serious gaming. What's wrong with that? If you got bullied at school, I'm sorry but you should keep the anger to yourself.

[Asurastrike]

You don't have to level any crafting to proceed in story or lvling in this game.

Only if want to meld materia you can do that quest, but if not you can have any crafter meld items for you. Probably won't want to do that till get to 50 and get lvl 70 gear crafted.

How? The quest has that story icon and appears mandatory?

[Enkidoh]

Aurastrike, don't let it get to you - sadly there's a lot of trolling on this forum which is better of just being ignored.

As for your original post, as has been said you don't actually need to level crafting classes to proceed in the game, that quest just requires you to learn about materia, but not actually meld any. I can't remember where the main story picks up from after that, but that quest is basically a whole heap of dialogue and some tutorial windows explaining about how to make materia. Once it's done that's it. The storyline continues with another quest, which doesn't require crafting to do.

[Mhaeric]

This is literally all you have to do:

-Talk to Minfilia and accept the quest.
-Head to The Bonefire, north of Black Brush Station in Central Thanalan.
-Trade Minfilia's Dagger to Mutamix Bubblypots. (Note: the goblin enhances the dagger for you during this step.)
-Travel back to The Waking Sands and hand the Materia-enhanced Dagger to Minfilia to complete the quest.

http://ffxiv.gamerescape.com/wiki/Li...and_Everything

[Anova]

The story should ask you to trade a key item dagger to Mutamix. After that, you return the materia-augmented dagger to the npc at Vesper Bay.

A detailed walkthrough for it is here

[Reiterpallasch]

Why do something that I simply don't enjoy?

So don't do it? As people have already pointed out, the quest you're trying to do has nothing to do with the main story line.

And even if it was required...

and when I finally got it to level 10 after two days

Level 10 on any crafting profession takes no more than an hour at best, and maybe a few thousand gil.

I was shocked to find that I needed a gathering skill to get cotten balls

They're sold from the vendor at the weavers guild. The same vendor that the guildmaster tells you to talk to.