Quote Originally Posted by TSLsmokey View Post
That's odd, I've gotten it without being a crafter. It's a storyline unlock from what I remember. But while it gave you the meld option, you needed to be 19 in crafting to unlock something else. Before you got meld, your in-game character didn't know about melding so it would make sense to not have the request meld option and I've noted many players in my fc asking where the button was before they got meld. Once they got it, they found they were able to request the melding. I'll have to go back and double check this though.
Ok, it's melding yourself that requires the crafter level 19 unlock. The "Request Meld" option probably unlocks either from the main story quest or perhaps from the one that unlocks converting gear into materia.

"Life, Materia, and Everything" - Level 19 Main Scenario Quest for everyone, sends you to Mutamix to learn about materia. (and maybe unlocks the ability to request a meld from others?)
"Forging the Spirit" - Level 19 sidequest (available to all classes), unlocks converting spiritbonded gear into materia.
"Waking the Spirit" - Level 19 DoH quest that unlocks melding materia onto equipment (either for yourself or when someone requests it from you.)