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Table inside a shopping trolley

When kids are getting lessons and I am waiting outside, I need a quick table to do something (e.g. on ipad/laptop).  The table inside a trolley is:

  • Easy and quick to set up inside the trolley without taking the parts out of the trolley shopping bag

  • Foldable and portable

  • Retains space inside the trolley (folded and assembled)

  • Can move the trolley with the assembled table in an instant


Completion date:

Table - May 17, 2026

Carrying bag - May 29 2026



The Table

The table adopts a “cross halving joint“ between the wood pieces.  5 pieces of wood are used.

Materials:

#1 Top piece: 13.5” x 9” x ⅛”.  This piece of wood is a spare piece from shopping trolley bag

#2 Top support piece: 

#3 Middle support leg: 21” x 6.5” x 0.5”

#4 Bottom support piece:  x 6.5”

#5 Bottom piece 13.5” x 9” x ½”

#6 Cabinet door magnetic catch set x 2

Steps

  1. Cut the Top piece 

  2. Cut #2, #4, #3

  3. Draw the halving slots on #2, #3, #4



  4. Drill holes and then do the cut outs using a scroll saw



  5. Attach #5 and #4 together with a hinge

  6. Stick wallpaper (adhesive) to the Top piece #1.





  7. Stick the metal piece (of cabinet door magnetic catch set) to the Top piece #1.



  8. Install the other magnetic part of cabinet door magnetic catch set to Top support piece #2 (image below) and #3 (not shown).



  9. Assemble the parts.



The Carrying Bag





Material:
- Jeans fabric (not stretchy, thick enough to support the weight but not too thick to be lighter)
- Handle material: Nylon webbing strip 1 inch wide
- 3 x 2 inch wide elastic bands.  Length for each: around 13-14" (did not measure, did real-fitting instead)


Steps

  1. Cut fabric A = 27 x 12”.  Quantity = 2

  2. Cut fabric B = 7 x 12”.  Quantity = 2




  1. Lock edges of all fabric

  2. On fabric B, fold 2cm and sew.  One side only.  Quantity = 2







  3. Cut a short piece.  This would be the connecting piece between the fabric As (refer as ‘bottom piece’)



  4. Sew the bottom piece along with the pocket.  Order (bottom, middle, top): Fabric A, Bottom piece fabric, Pocket fabric.



  5. Arrange the sewn piece such that the bottom piece sticks out.



  6. Sew New Fabric A and New Fabric B together (2nd compound).  Nest previous step compound inside this compound like below. Slip bottom piece of (the open end) between the New Fabric A and New Fabric B of 2nd compound.  Sew at the clipped place. 

    Note: In here I actually have sewed the New Fabric A and New Fabric B together in advance.  What I would have done instead should be :

    Add the other Fabric A to the bottom of the previous step arrangement.  Then the other Fabric B on top.  Order (from bottom to top):
    - New Fabric A
    - 1st Compound: Fabric A + bottom piece + Fabric B (previous step)
    - New Fabric B













  7. Flip over.



  8. Sew 2cm hem all around



  9. Sew elastic bands (2-inch width) as needed.  Note: Elastic bands act as a barrier to holding the wood pieces.  The elastic bands are to be lifted to get the wood pieces.





  10. The Top Supporting Piece (#2), shown on the right in previous picture, is fitted into a clear pocket on Middle Support Leg #3 (pocket not shown here).  The clear pocket is installed below the #3 slot, secured to the sides.  The clear pocket is positioned higher for easy access while assembling (no need to reach down to the pocket at the bottom) and dismantling. 

  11. Sew the carrying handles.



  12. Include an extra elastic band (not shown) to wrap around the flaps at the top to prevent the bag from unfolding itself due to the pieces falling from inside.



After thought:

This design doesn’t maximize the trolley bag space inside, because the table takes up space in the middle.   Accordion-style would follow for version 2 of this project.


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