How to make your followers craft?

So following on from this question How can I find my followers skills and stats I've found that Sven is good at some craft skills, namely Alchemy, Smithing and Enchanting.

How do you get them to craft, or control it? I know you can talk to them and ask "I'd like you to do something." to get into command mode and point them at a workbench for example, but how can you control what they make?

I've pointed Sven at the forge and he's come back with nothing. Perhaps I need to load him up with materials?

Solution 1:

I loaded Lydia up with some Iron Ingots and Leather Strips, enough to make several different types of item. Then I commanded her to use the forge. I didn't get a crafting menu or any means of commanding her to craft a specific item.

She used the forge for a while (carried out all the various crafting animations), I left her at it for five minutes realtime and checked her inventory. She still had all the ingots and leather strips I gave her, and she hadn't crafted any items, despite having appeared to have been crafting for a long time.

So at least for Lydia it seems that it's not possible to craft items.

Solution 2:

IT is not possible to have them craft items for you, their skills are simply to build their 'character' that they have skills.

I also tried giving Lydia some ingredients, they are mostly useful for carrying them, they won't craft with them.

On a different topic tho, they will use-up charges on magic items, so keep that in mind if you stick stuff in their inventory you don't want used ;)