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.