The key is to watch the first yellow bubble. I use that as my gauge to determine how much Progress or Durability to use. If I have a full bubble, I speed along with Progress. If I loose half that first bubble, I switch to 2 progress and 1 Durability.
If I am at risk of losing the first yellow bubble, I use all Durability.
In other words...
Use Progress buffs to speed along the crafting process.
If you begin to loose Durability and risk loosing the first yellow bubble, add Durability buffs.
Or, if you have a particulary difficult recipie, use Durability to keep it high, the sprint to the end with Progress buffs.
I've actually had full durability, then through a cataclysmal failure lost all down to a crude object, and fought back with Durability for a pristine craft.
The next scene is me excitedly standing at my computer doing the cabbage patch, with stares of horror from my kids. :)