A gathering foot for a domestic sewing machine is a specialized presser foot designed to create soft gathers or ruffles in fabric. It works by slightly bunching the fabric as it is stitched, eliminating the need for manual gathering. Some gathering feet allow for adjustable fullness, and they can also be used to attach a gathered fabric to a flat piece in one step. It is commonly used for dresses, skirts, home deco and ruffled trims.