For all your items you have currently equipped when you get the message you get 3 skill in each item for crafting in strategus. The 3 skills mean that you craft 3 at a time. These skills stack the more chadztexts you get (all thine hard work hath payeth off...), if you get a chadztext and an item that you have crafting skill in is not equipped, then you lose 1 skill in that equipment.
The more skill you have, the higher a discount you have for how much it costs to make the item (versus buying it in strat). I think around 15 skill you're close to 50% off the cost it would be to buy that item in strat.
I'll be in a fief in strategus in 56 minutes, and will give you an example of what my crafting looks like, the skills, and discounts you get at each skill level.
