Thanks to all of you for your excellent feedback on this little problem. Today, I had to stay late in the weaving studio to wind a new warp, very time-consuming and tedious, requiring counting threads, and it's a big warp. Karen tried to engage me several times in conversation, and I just told her I couldn't talk, I was "counting," then after finishing it, I left the studio without conversing. This worked really well today, and I know now I can do this in the future! Not cruel or rude, just "assertive," as Direction says!
Thanks
Patty