  This paper is a study of the bases introduced by Chari-Loktev for local Weyl
modules of the current algebra associated to a special linear Lie algebra.
Partition overlaid patterns, POPs for short---whose introduction is one of the
aims of this paper---form convenient parametrizing sets of these bases. They
play a role analogous to that played by (Gelfand-Tsetlin) patterns in the
representation theory of the special linear Lie algebra.
  The notion of a POP leads naturally to the notion of area of a pattern. We
observe that there is a unique pattern of maximal area among all those with a
given bounding sequence and given weight. We give a combinatorial proof of this
and discuss its representation theoretic relevance.
  We then state a conjecture about the "stability", i.e., compatibility in the
long range, of Chari-Loktev bases with respect to inclusions of local Weyl
modules. In order to state the conjecture, we establish a certain bijection
between colored partitions and POPs, which may be of interest in itself.
